Thursday, June 4
We don’t live in vacuums. Our choices influence not just ourselves, but others as well. In the same way, the lives of many of God’s ancient people have had a great impact on the future of others besides themselves. In Hebrews 11, that well-known “faith” chapter, we see in summary the influence of many of these ancient heroes of faith.
Read Hebrews 11:1-40. What lessons can we learn from these ancient heroes and by studying their lives?
Enoch
Noah
Abraham
Sarah
Joseph
Moses
Rahab
Samson
Faith is not simply a belief in something or someone; it is acting in response to that belief. It is a faith that works; this is what is reckoned as righteousness. It is those faith actions that change history. Each of these actions depends on a reliance on God’s Word.
Noah acted in faith when he built the ark, trusting in the Word of God over experience and reason. Because it had never rained, experience and reason suggested that a flood made absolutely no sense. But Noah obeyed God, and the human race survived. Abraham, then called Abram, left Ur in southern Mesopotamia, the most sophisticated city in the world at that time, and went out, not knowing where God would lead him. But he chose to act on God’s Word. Moses chose to become a shepherd leading God’s people to the Promised Land rather than to become the king over Egypt, the greatest empire of its day. He trusted in the Almighty’s voice, calling out from the burning bush. Rahab decided to trust the reports of God’s deliverance, protected the two spies, and became part of the lineage of Jesus. How little we know about how our decisions will affect the lives of countless people in this generation and those to come!
What crucial decisions are impending before you? How do you make the choices that you do, and why?
