BY FAITH WE UNDERSTAND
Hebrews 11:3, 11-12 NKJV
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
Chapter eleven is referred to as the Faith's Hall of Fame. Person after person is highlighted because of some aspect of their faith. If you read this chapter looking for principles to live by, you'll find many that apply to your life. For example, by faith, Abraham obeyed and left his hometown, not knowing for a certainty where he was going. We learn that we have to obey God by faith.
By faith, the old-time saints blessed, prepared, gave offerings, received strength, and fought battles. They did some amazing things that can appear superhuman. But these were people just like us. Verse three helps us. By faith, we understand. By faith, "we understand," can mean a couple of things. By faith, not logic or sensory experience, we understand how things are done in God's Kingdom.
It's by faith we understand that God made the world we live in by speaking the world and the universe into existence. No, I can't say I understand that, but by faith, I believe it was so. By faith, I believe that this world that I can see and touch was made of things, spirit things, that I cannot see or touch. By faith, I believe God created the heavens, the earth, and mankind. I believe this world and man were created not by accident but on purpose by the word of God.
It's by faith that I can understand that all these things written in this chapter were done. I understand that by believing in the all-powerful God, people won battles, stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of the fiery furnace. By believing in God and His promises a child was born to a man who was 100 and a woman who was 90 years old. By faith, I understand, and by faith, amazing things were accomplished.
This eleventh chapter had to have been encouraging to people undergoing struggles through persecution. The writer was calling them up to live a life of faith in God, that faith in God was their answer for all they were going through. Without faith, it would be impossible to please God. For all those coming to God must believe that He exists, and He is a rewarder of the people who seek Him.
APPLICATION
We may not be facing the extreme persecution that these people in the Book of Hebrews were facing, but we still need faith. Nothing has changed about faith being a necessity when it comes to pleasing God. Nothing has changed about this life still requiring faith to obey God, give offerings, fight battles, and get stronger.
I do not feel as if Joy and I are called to have another baby in our sixties, and I am eternally grateful for that. But I do believe there are things we still need to "give birth to" that will accomplish something for God and be a blessing to people. You and I are pretty limited in our own strength, but by faith in an awesome God, great things can still be accomplished. And the way we understand all these things is by faith.
PRAYER
Father, I do want to be pleasing to You. I believe great things can still be done by people who have faith in You.