Progress Over Perfection
Hello Bride of Christ,
Fall, a season of transition, moving us from our summer breaks into our more structured schedules. Typically during the summer time as the weather invites us to spend time outside either by the seashore or pool side, in parallel our yearly commitments (i.e. work or school) grace us with opportunity to travel and relax or unplug from the daily grind. Then Fall arrives. It calls us back to routine. Commitments. Schedules. Progress. Even Nature is in tune to the call of Fall. Trees begin to change colors. The sun becomes more illusive, resulting in shorter stints of daylight. Animal kingdom begins to migrate. This call, although seasonal and predictable (for we all know summer does not last forever), leaves us needing faith.
Faith to carry out the daily routines, obey God’s promptings, move with godly urgency, find strength in our weaknesses, provide guidance to our families, and endure the storms of life. Faith, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Seems as the days in fall become chillier and the daylight becomes less, more and more hope in the invisible becomes needed to endure what this season has in store for us. Thankfully we have been surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who demonstrated how to live life by faith resulting in obtaining a good testimony!
What is the Lord calling you to this fall season?
The letter of Hebrews chapter 11 often referred to in Christian circles as the “Hall of Faith” provides us with brief glimpses of various individuals and how by faith they _____ you fill in the blank. Abel by faith provided a sacrifice to God that was so pleasing it has left him a legacy on this earth still spoken of today (Hebrews 11:4). Enoch by faith pleased God so well that he did not experience death (Hebrews 11:5). Noah by faith built the first boat and saved his family from the floods of destruction (Hebrews 11:7). Abraham by faith moved to a place he knew not, dwelt in a foreign land, endured testing to become the father of all nations and one of the first to believe in resurrection power (Hebrews 11:8 -10, 12,17-19). Sarah by faith was empowered to conceive and bare a son in her old age (Hebrews 11: 11). Isaac and Jacob both by faith were able to bless their sons and provide them guidance (Hebrews 11: 20-21). Moses by faith claimed a heritage, forsook all he knew, conducted a ritual (Passover) for the first time, and walked across a parted sea (Hebrews 11: 23-29). The list of individuals and their testimonies goes on and on!
One constant with all these individuals regardless of the calling was that is was accomplished by faith. How do we know if we are operating in faith? How do we know if we are hoping for things unseen? Well, the writer of Hebrews notes, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)
Bride of Christ, these individuals felt assured, confident God’s promises were going to come to pass. They judged God as faithful. Since they were confident in His promises they embraced these promises. Embraced as in the form of acceptance. Lastly, they confessed, declared, admitted that they were not of this earth but of God’s kingdom. This is how they demonstrated faith. Notice perfection was not an ingredient of demonstrating faith. Every individual was showing progress though. Progress towards seeking God (Hebrews 11:6). Walking by faith is not limited to those the Holy Spirit had the writer of Hebrews note, but it is accessible to us today. Are you assured by God’s promises? If so, have you embraced them? Are you declaring your pilgrimage? It is never too late to walk by faith. Simply talk with God as these individuals did often and ask Him to increase your confidence in Him, strengthen you to embrace His promises, and give you a heart and voice that declares this not your home. Then walk by faith!
