Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
September 20, 2024
Hebrews 11:1-16
1 Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. 2 The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith. 3 By faith we understand that the universe has been created by a word from God so that the visible came into existence from the invisible . . . 13 All of these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth. 14 People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. 16 But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them.
Good Morning! We are blessed by the faith of those who came before us.
Rich Mullins captures the essence of this passage in his lyrics Sometimes By Step.
Sometimes, I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes, the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach
O God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
O God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step-by-step, You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
Despite the challenges we face, God is with those who choose to follow. Throughout the Bible, we find encouragement from those who followed God, who called them to uncertain paths.
1 Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see.
Paul helps unpack this verse in Romans 8:24-25. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
By God’s grace, the faithful are promised an abundant life. God doesn’t promise that life will be without challenges, nor does God say the path will always be clear to us. We are not able to see what God sees. God sees the big picture, and our final destination is clearly marked. God also grants us free will, which opens up endless diversions in our pathway.
Along our way, we make wrong turns, make poor decisions, and even close the map and lose our way, but God is always waiting to redirect us when we are ready to return home. God is patiently waiting to lead us as we grow in our faith and trust. When we call, God will lead us, step-by-step, toward the path of righteousness.
Faithful God, Thank you for creating us. May we follow the lead of those faithful servants who came before us. We ask you, O God, to lead us to our righteous pathway. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: We don’t need to worry because we are in God’s hands.
Look to the Light! Pastor Liz
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