Resting in Faithfulness
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord we know you are faithful, help us to have no fear because of what you have done previously in our lives. Remind me today of your faithfulness in my life.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:23-24)
REFLECT:
When we read Hebrews 11, we read what is often called the “Hall of Faith”, a brief history of some of the faithful “heroes” in the Bible. God provided for Enoch, Noah, Abel, Abraham, and Sarah they believed in things unseen. They did not get to experience all the blessings firsthand, but they died believing that God was faithful. Sarah was 90 when she became pregnant with Isaac. Enoch was taken straight to Heaven! Abel brought a better offering than Cain and he lives in Heaven. Noah built an Ark even though it had never rained, to save his family. Abraham was promised a wonderful place for all his followers and he never reached it, but he believed. None of these fabulous people in the Bible experienced the fullness of God’s blessings through Christ, because they lived before he came to earth and died on the cross for our sins. Yet, they were faithful. God wants us to keep being faithful, spurring one another on to do good, resting in God’s faithfulness.
APPLY:
All these people in the Bible were true saints and they believed. They went through mockery; a brother killed a brother, never experiencing what he was searching for all his life; and a baby that was turned around and given back to God. How fabulous that Enoch did not have to die, that he went straight to heaven. We must believe that God is working for our good and we must continue to believe even though we don’t see the end result. Stand up for your faith today. Don’t back down when you are witnessing to others and they don’t respond. Let us remain faithful like these men and women of the Bible. Be faithful as Daniel was, remembering how God protected him in the fiery furnace! We all face fiery exchanges in this world, but we must remember and believe that God is on our side.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Loving Father,
We praise You for Your faithfulness.
On the mountaintop or in the valley, Your goodness does not cease.
We pray that goodness flows from us as a natural outpouring of Your Spirit.
May we follow Your lead to love and serve with no need for humankind's empty praise.
Keep us humble as we walk this path led by Your love.
In the name of Your Son Jesus,
Amen.
WORSHIP: