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Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By 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. By 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. By 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. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By 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. Therefore 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.’ All 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, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But 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. (Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16)
One of my favorite hymns is "Open My Eyes, That I May See." It has a beautiful melody but a very demanding message. I should add it is a hymn, that according to our hymnal is not based on scripture. A few pages later, we have a hymn that I don't believe I've ever sung called, "Faith, While Trees Are Still in Blossom." I don't know the melody, but the message is beautiful because it is based on the first verse of this morning's passage. The first stanza says, "Faith, while trees are still in blossom, plans the picking of the fruit; (this would be a great Valley hymn!) faith can feel the thrill of harvest when the buds begin to sprout." One cannot be a farmer without faith. The seeds as they are planted are done so with hope and conviction; trusting that God will bring to blossom a tree, and some time later, the fruit of that tree. One cannot be a farmer without patience, for it is a long process between planting and harvest. And dare we say one cannot be a believer without the kind of faith defined here? We have, if we ask, the assurance of God upon our lives about life; seeing that which we know will come because of faith. And the parents of the faithful from the pages of the Bible are shared with us as encouragement to us: Abraham, and we add Sarah, the father and mother of the faith; called by God to leave his home for a new one with the promise of an inheritance and off they went. And as they had been told and promised, so did they reap.
You may be in a place where you don't yet see what you hoped to have seen, but God says this is in My time, not yours. You may be in a place where you feel like giving up, but God says give me more time, I'm working on it. You may be in a place where you have given up and you think you've reached the end; God says, "It's not over until I say it's over. Hold my hand and believe."
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive us those times of doubt and despair. Hold us ever more tightly during those times. Grant to us the faith we need to have that assurance and conviction that You're in control and we see the harvest even before we see the blossom; this we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
