Wednesday 20 Feb 2013

Wednesday Reading: Hebrews 11:13-16

Key Verse: Hebrews 11:16
16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Devotion:
Just about all of the great men of faith in the Old Testament died without getting to know the fulfilment of our Saviour on the cross. They all had faith and depended on that faith to see them through, having faith that what they had been told and shown was the truth and that some day their Messiah should come to earth and lead them. How great a demonstration of faith was displayed by so many; and yet we falter and fail even knowing that Jesus Christ did come to the cross, die and rose again after the 3rd day!

The thing that we must marvel at is the fact that they stood firm in their belief. They took that faith and made it a reality as they stood by and waited patiently. Their sights were set on heaven, described in our bibles as a country or homeland because of its size and attributes. This is the same heaven that we should be seeking, knowing that Christ has gone there to prepare a place for us and that He will come again to take us there – that is what we must believe because Christ has told us that as the truth. We need to exercise faith in believing that that will come to happen and that Christ will continue to be our King.

The men from the Old Testament had been the recipients of the promised land, the land which God gave to them, and yet even with so many seeing the land, the results of the promises and all manner of signs… men still faltered in their belief and wanted more than just something someone else said! If the children of Israel had all exercised faith and believed that God was doing exactly as He said, then they would have found so much more peace, comfort and strength than they did.

God wants us to have this strength, peace and joy because He has made it available for us. God wants to call us His children and wants us to join Him in heaven where He will be able to call us His Sons and Daughters; in other words He is not going to be ashamed of being call our Father if we are going to trust in Him and depend on Him as if He were our father. He is our Father!

Points to Ponder:
How do you look to your father?

How much do you get from your fathers?