Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 (NRSV)
Read Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 11Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Verse 2Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. Verse 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. 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
This passage is a classic. It brings up memories of hope persisting through difficulty. It reminds me of the phrase, “a wandering Aramean was my ancestor” (Deuteronomy 26:5). It is a reference to the epic journey of our faith parents, Abraham and Sarah, who ventured out for meaning, not fortune. The writer of Hebrews keeps hope alive through that faith story.
We live a migrating world. Families search to catch up with an economy gone global, which often leaves locals in the lurch. The congregation I presently serve partners with the New York Sanctuary Movement. We accompany migrant families through the complicated migration process. Because of that ministry, we watch migrants face separation, loneliness and difficult work. But they do not live with anger on their faces, just a lot of stress. They exude a spirit of purposeful wandering. They seem to instinctively possess the faith of our ancestors that links them to the hope provided by God.
Prayer
Loving God, you are the source of our hope. You fund the gifts of our living. We offer you thanks as we follow the call into the wilderness, not knowing, yet confident of your presence and your faithfulness. Amen.