Hebrews 11:8-16 (NRSV)
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Verse 8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. Verse 9By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. Verse 10For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Verse 11By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old-and Sarah herself was barren-because he considered him faithful who had promised. Verse 12Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." Verse 13All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, Verse 14for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. Verse 15If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. Verse 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
Devotion
The determined sojourns of Abraham, Sarah and their family displayed exemplary faithfulness, but their foreigner status made their confession poignant. Their commitment to a promised land underscored their perpetual dislocation. Awaiting a new home, they declared themselves out of place, outsiders to the societies they inhabited. The Advent journey is likewise an alien existence, for by expecting the light to come, we acknowledge darkness around us. We live in uneasy relationships with our surroundings, trusting that God is creating something better.
Prayer
To hope and wait for your promises can make us feel peculiar and vulnerable, O Lord. As we glimpse and greet the full inheritance secured for us through Christ, grant us courage to dwell as people estranged from the destructive powers and ways of the world. Amen.