Devotion:
Read Hebrews 11:1-10.
Visiting the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, we spent several hours reading the accomplishments of many basketball players and coaches! There were several floors of photographs, trophies and information, but my favorite part was the basketball court on the ground floor, with many goals and basketballs! Everyone was invited and welcomed to play the sport! Even with my limited height, my few moments on the court of the Basketball Hall of Fame helped me to realize that the joy of this wonderful game wasn’t limited to those who made it to the Hall of Fame!
Hebrews 11 was one of my preacher Dad’s favorites. His sermon title was, “The Hall of Faith”. Many individuals are listed throughout the chapter who lived by their deep and abiding faith in God. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Sarah are listed in our verses today.
Commentaries say vs. 1 is not so much a definition but is both subjective and objective speaking to a life of trust, belief, endurance and deep reliance upon God’s faithfulness unto all, even though not visible. Vs. 1 from The Message is helpful. “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.”
Rev. Dr. Fred B. Craddock writes in “The New Interpreter’s Commentary”:
- No one in the list of exemplars of faith lived his or her life as an example to anyone; their having done so would have disqualified them as good examples.
- Hebrews 11 offers two portraits of a life of faith: both ‘triumph’ and ‘tragedy’ (or success and failure). The original readers of this letter had suffered a great deal, and this gives encouragement to the weary.
- Faith hopes and looks beyond the immediate---to God’s future. Faith is tenacious and enduring.
- This chapter’s list includes some who still had their human weaknesses, but through God’s faithfulness were able to accomplish more with God’s strength.
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