The Apostle Paul - “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people of old earned a good reputation.” (Hebrews 11:1-2)
Nothing stirs our hearts like stories, especially the stories of those who have held fast to their faith in difficult times. In Hebrews 11, the Apostle Paul takes time to remind the Hebrews of some great testimonies of faith from scripture. Let’s review a few of those below.
By faith, Abel’s offerings were acceptable to God - “It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did… Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.” (vs. 4)
By faith, Enoch pleased the Lord - “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying…’ For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. And it is impossible to please God without faith.” (vs. 5-6)
By faith, Noah and his family were spared - “It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God... By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.” (vs. 7)
By faith, Abraham followed the Lord - “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as an inheritance… And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith.” (vs. 8-9)
By faith, Sarah became the mother of a nation - “It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep His promise.” (vs. 11)
By faith, the Israelites walked through the Red Sea - “It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground… (vs. 29)
God did great things in and through each of those people because of their faith. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:20-21) What might God do in our lives if only we had enough faith?
Followup Activity - Read through Hebrews 11 with a friend. After reading, share which of the Bible heroes resonates the most with you and what you admire about his or her faith. If you are leading your family through this exercise, follow the same instructions.
Prayer for Today - Lord, thank You for the men and women in the Bible with great faith. Help me to always strive to follow their example. In Jesus’ name, Amen.