Day 1
Now faith...
To Start
Sit in silence for 1 minute before you begin. If you can’t get something off your mind (a task you need to accomplish, something you don’t want to forget), take a moment and write yourself a note (Don’t forget to take the trash down. We’re out of dishwashing liquid. Call the doctor about that mole…). Now try to clear your mind again.
Pray
God, our Father and Creator, unseen and yet undeniable, we ask You to take hold of us as we set out on this meditation on Your living Word.
Open our eyes to see what we can’t see alone.
Work through your book to give us what we need—comfort, challenge, revelation, hope, confidence, faith.
Plant seeds in our hearts and tend them. Empower us to be patient as they grow.
Meet us here. Dwell with us as we dwell with You.
Shine Your face upon us, and let us walk away from this encounter changed, filled, and glorified.
Read
Read Hebrews 11. I’ll provide the full text below, but reading in your own Bible or printing the chapter is preferable.
As you read:
Ask the Spirit of God, “What do You want to show me?”
Highlight/identify verses and lines that stand out to you.
Write down any questions that come to mind. If you finish reading and have no questions, read again (more curiously this time!).
It’s okay to read somewhat quickly today. You’ll read this chapter many times over the course of our study. This time we’re looking for first impressions.
When you’re finished, summarize the chapter in two or three sentences. This part is very important. It helps you know whether or not you understand what you’ve read. The act of summarizing forces your brain to process the raw data of the text. So don’t skip it!
Hebrews 11 (CSB)
11 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by this our ancestors were approved.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful.12 Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, 18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25 and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26 For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.
32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.
Process
If you’re able to spend more time today in meditation, consider the following prompts. Engage with as many as you’d like.
Return to the questions you wrote down as you read. What would it take to answer them? If it’s as simple as Googling, do that right away. Could you text someone for the answer? Do that. You’re also welcome to drop your question in the comments section of this post.
If your questions are more relational, experiential, or emotional write one down on an index card and carry it in your pocket today. Every time you remember it’s there, pray: “God what do you want me to know about this?”
Return to a line you’ve highlighted. Why did that verse or phrase stand out? What might God be trying to show you?
What about today’s reading stirs joy or hope in you? What sentence can you hold onto today as you attempt to walk in faith?
What from the reading today provokes tension in you? Why might those words stir up frustration, anger, doubt, or sadness in your heart?
From JL
I won’t provide personal commentary on Mondays. I want to give you and God space to meet and communicate.
Starting tomorrow we’ll jump into some context (Where does Hebrews 11 fall in the greater narrative of Hebrews?) and begin defining terms (What is faith?). To be clear, we’ll be defining faith for 42 days. But we’ll start tomorrow!
Pray
End your time by praying some bit of what you’ve received from God back to God. Maybe, “Make me like Sarah who considered that the one who had promised was faithful” or “Intensify my desire for the better place” or simply, “Thank you for these examples of faith.”
In the Comments
You’re welcome to study along with us privately, but if you’d like to engage with the larger group, I’ll provide a group discussion prompt each day. Today we’re asking:
Why do you think Hebrews 11 is such a popular section of Scripture? What makes people keep coming back to it?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
-JL
I love how this chapter re-frames old testament stories that we’re so familiar with and gives us insight into the characters’ motivations from the perspective of Yahweh!
I think verses 13-16 are a big piece of what keeps people coming back- these figures did not receive the things promised, but died in faith knowing that Yahweh would keep His promise. That’s life-fuel.
I think another piece that keeps people coming back is the summary. These figures have been commended for their great lives of faith, but we have received a gift greater than theirs- a new covenant in Christ.
Reading chapter 11 feels like reaching for a “greatest hits” album. Just one knock out example of faith after another, all lined up. The people in this chapter mastered the tension of navigating their circumstances while keeping an eternal perspective. I also think we come back to it a lot because it covers so many different kinds of people and is so inclusive (men, women, royalty, sex worker, soldiers, etc).
I printed out this chapter and left lots of room in the margins, thank you for that suggestion!