Sometimes we tell other people, “I have faith in you”.  This usually means we think they are capable of accomplishing something that they might be reluctant to try.  At times it is a compliment, other times a bribe and sometimes a motivator.  This may be the way many view  “faith” now, but this is not all God intended it to be.

I’ll share with you the opening verse of Hebrews 11:1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is evidence of things we cannot see.

This verse is known as the faith verse and the entirety of Hebrews 11 is famous as the faith chapter as it shares some of the best examples of faith that exist. There was Noah who took heed when God instructed him and built the ark. Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out and lead a group of people to the land of promise. Sarah, his wife, received power to conceive even when she was too old and of them were born descendants, more than the stars and the grains of sand. By faith, people crossed the Red Sea and the walls of Jericho fell down.  There were many more examples but these were some of the “biggies” that we are all familiar with.

The above verse is the very definition of faith.  It is the reality of all things hoped for and a reminder of the faith we should know. Faith is a reason to get up in the morning and a reason to “keep on keeping on” every day. If we don’t have faith, we would most likely lead empty, self-absorbed lives and have no purpose. As the verse points out, it is the evidence of things we cannot see.  It is the miracles we witness everyday of people surviving natural disasters, the healing of someone who has been declared terminal, the repair of a broken relationship and so many more.

What is faith to you? Is it something temporary or eternal?  My hope and prayer for all of us is our faith is eternal. I pray we have the type of faith that looks to God in good times and bad times.  If we stay focused on God and hope for eternal things, our faith will come to life. We may not see it, but we experience it in God’s unconditional love we receive every day. Thanks be to God!

Patty