Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it, the people of old received their commendation. (Hebrews 11:1-3)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…. (Hebrews 12:1, ESV)
If you have ever toured the World Golf Hall of Fame, you know how special it is. If you love golf and all the memorable moments in golf’s history, you will most likely leave this magnificent complex inspired; you might even experience improved play.
Meandering through the corridors of the Golf Hall of Fame customarily impacts the visitor with a greater appreciation for those men and women who have achieved extraordinary things in our sport.
Players, golf course architects, philanthropists, and others who have “contributed” to the game’s development are on full display. For those prone to sentimentality, goosebumps are not that infrequent either.
Of all the things to take in, hardly any of them are as emotionally moving when observing all the golfers from bygone eras involved in highly charged, competitive moments captured in photography.
Staring at pictures of Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and many others accomplishing what most of us can only dream of achieving causes many observers to aspire for greater heights.
Inspiring as the World Golf Hall of Fame is, reading about and meditating on the men and women featured in the Hall of Faith found in Hebrews 11 inspires and challenges us all the more.
To linger in this chapter with an earnest heart and eager mind positions the reader to hear the Spirit of Christ calling them to trust God, perhaps, in previously unimagined ways.
After commending the heroes of faith, the author begins the next chapter with, “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses….”
A common mistake when reading this important section of Scripture is to think that these Old Testament saints are the spectators looking down from heaven and cheering us on. That has it backward.
It’s the reader, the one who seeks to live by faith in Jesus Christ, who is the spectator—we are observing men and women of old who trusted the word of the Lord and accomplished great things for God and the advancement of his kingdom.
From the outset, we get a strong indication that biblical faith is an unalloyed commitment to trusting God’s word. For example, understanding where the visible, physical world originated means understanding that the world was created by something invisible—the Word of God (Hebrews 11:3). Simply put, faith is taking God at his word!
Consider the following: the entire world was ruined because the first man, Adam, refused to trust God’s word. The glorious truth at the opposite end of this tragic story is that the last man, Jesus, trusted God’s word enduring an unimaginable and cruel death on the cross.
What was it that Jesus believed? Among many other promises, Jesus trusted the Father’s word that he would raise him from the dead.
Even though we see innumerable weaknesses and failures in the lives of Old Testament believers, they provide an unassailable witness that God can be trusted.
Prayer: Jesus, grant us a deep and lasting grace to trust your word!