Our Father is outrageously good to his children, then and now, providing "something better" than anything the world has to offer. Our faith is made possible by his faithfulness. All his promises are true; they find their "yes" and "amen" in Christ. Praise God!
I'm struck by the inclusion of Rahab, not just as a woman but as a Gentile and a complete outsider. It speaks of a truly generous God who brings the outsider in and welcomes them into family. Who breaks down dividing walls and shatters our categories of people. Who writes new identities over peoples lives and calls them to more. Who never writes people off or assumes they are too far gone. Who has always been seeking the most unlikely people to build his kingdom. Praise him!❤️
Coming out of fundamentalist purity culture, I love that the Bible is clear she was a prostitute and she has a place in this list and in the genealogy of Jesus
One thing I considered about God through today’s reading is that he loves a good story. He preserved the stories of countless individuals into the Christian faith. And Christ followers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, refer back to those stories for us to read in his word. God cares so much about stories that he chose to foreshadow Jesus’s birth into the stories of normal people’s lives. He’s still using our stories to point to Jesus and his promises for what is to come.
Verse 6 jumped out to me today as a reminder that God wants good things for us. If it’s “impossible to please God without faith”, it must be obtainable in some capacity for every person. He doesn’t leave anyone out.
God longs for His people to be faithful to Him. He wants that personal relationship with them. Hebrews 11 shows the lives of people who aren’t perfect, yet chose Him. Chose Him to guide them. Chose Him when it seemed like all was lost. Chose Him and waited.
I am in awe of this list of mighty acts of faith. Does anyone else suffer from some form of “survivor’s guilt?” These faithful servants suffered and endured because of their faith - they were pushed to their limits. As I sit in my comfortable chair with a blanket draped over my shoulder and a mug of warm coffee I am filled with gratitude, but also… guilt? Unworthy to be claiming this same faith that I’m not required to prove or suffer for. I pray my comfort in this life will not result in soft or shallow faith.
Yahweh gives seasons. These stories of faith were over time. In some cases long periods of time. I loved what Carly shared, God give everyone the opportunity to grow in faith. I like that you are in a season of peace and gratitude. That is part of faith too, seeing the goodness of Yahweh!
Today I was struck by the reminder of how emotional the Lord is. Sometimes He gets portrayed as a distant, removed figure but today reminded me how much he engages emotionally. I also keyed in on the phrase “to be called their God”. He is personal.
I am really gravitating to the phrase "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God" - I have long struggled with shame... and the idea that not only is God willing to be our God, He is also not ashamed to be called our God either, to be associated with us. And this is based on their desire and longing for a better country, for things to be better. I think it would be fair to say that it is based on their hope. These are people who were flawed people... the Bible doesn't flinch from showing us their weaknesses. That's just really encouraging to me.
In verse 1, the words "assurance" and "conviction" resound in my mind today - thank you, Holy Spirit! Those words are followed by speaking of God's creating the universe - something I can see and enjoy today. I'm also pondering Abraham's longing for a city with foundations, knowing that his tent-life was temporary and hard. I wonder what he imagined in his longing for that city. Imagining that city, that better country, that something better for us, I am filled with joy and through God, have the assurance that his power will sustain me this day in all that I do, say, and think.
I keep going back to v. 2 and receiving "divine appeoval". The verses that follow reveal people who acted on their faith which in turn resulted in being pleasing to God. For me, this means God wants my obedient faith (requires action) not just "I have faith everything is going to be okay in the end". I have to trust Him and depend on Him and pray to Him as I follow and serve Him.
I liked vs 40 in the sense that God provided something better for these spiritual ancestors ....but not apart from us. It feels very familiar - like God wants *all* of his people together in his spiritual family. It reminded me of my MIL who likes all of her babies together, and isn't a fan of groups splintering off when we come together for holidays and other occasions.
Also, getting ready to teach Look to Love to our youth group teen girls next month and am SO excited to share it with them! 🥰🥳
Hurrah for you using Look to Love for those girls! I LOVED the book, LOVED the podcast. Have added some of the stories to my go-to lists of scriptures. Have may times worked to look for God and ask those questions when reading and studying and wondering. A wonderful tool to put in the hands of teenagers.
The verses that jumped out to me this morning are verses 13 to 16. These all died in faith, not seen fully, but from a distance (my words). Often the first step in faith is not seeing the full picture. That first step is one of blind faith, a heart full of anticipation and full of fear of the unknown. Often my mind is asking 100 questions in 50 directions. Yet the step was taken. My prayer is, Yahweh, help me to be faithful in seeing an unclear path. Help me to be faithful in what I cannot see. Help me to hear your voice in the midst of my weaknesses. I am confident in your love and faithfulness.
Yahweh, you are enough, and ever present, and always faithful.
God’s steadfastness stands out to me today. He is an ever present rock that is so much higher than I. And that is a reassuring foundation to rest on today 🤍
Maybe it’s because I just finished the creation episodes in Holy Ghost Stories, but I focused on how much pleasure we give Him when we demonstrate our faith. He took so much pleasure in creation.
I wrote many pages of notes and thoroughly enjoyed the process, but I camped out and let my mind wander in verse 11: "By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised."
God makes procreation possible. He has amazingly given the ability to be fruitful and multiply to his creation. Nothing is impossible for him - whether an old womb or a virgin conception.
But, also God is sovereignly in charge of opening and closing wombs and sustaining life, and I do not take that for granted. My daughter is currently pregnant with our next grandchild, the second we will see with physical eyes, but really our third. She and I both lost babies to miscarriage, so we carry the joy and grief that pregnancy can bring, and we know SO many people who bear the deep pain associated with not being able to conceive when they want to and seeing those who conceive when they don't want to. And still God is sovereign!
God knows each person before they are born and the number of their days. He knits each one together as his own masterpiece and prepares works for them to do. He loves, and calls, and gives life and breath and determines times and boundaries so that each one would seek him, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’
And that reminds me so much of a baby living and moving and having their being inside the womb of a Mama! I love how he uses physical things to teach us spiritual lessons and that he is faithful to keep his promises!
Our Father is outrageously good to his children, then and now, providing "something better" than anything the world has to offer. Our faith is made possible by his faithfulness. All his promises are true; they find their "yes" and "amen" in Christ. Praise God!
That’s what jumped out at me, too, in verse 40. “God having provided something better.” That sums up so much of my walk with Him!
"outrageously good" - love that!
Amen!
I'm struck by the inclusion of Rahab, not just as a woman but as a Gentile and a complete outsider. It speaks of a truly generous God who brings the outsider in and welcomes them into family. Who breaks down dividing walls and shatters our categories of people. Who writes new identities over peoples lives and calls them to more. Who never writes people off or assumes they are too far gone. Who has always been seeking the most unlikely people to build his kingdom. Praise him!❤️
Coming out of fundamentalist purity culture, I love that the Bible is clear she was a prostitute and she has a place in this list and in the genealogy of Jesus
Amen!
Amen!!
One thing I considered about God through today’s reading is that he loves a good story. He preserved the stories of countless individuals into the Christian faith. And Christ followers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, refer back to those stories for us to read in his word. God cares so much about stories that he chose to foreshadow Jesus’s birth into the stories of normal people’s lives. He’s still using our stories to point to Jesus and his promises for what is to come.
Yes!! He’s a storyteller God. Will be forever. 😊
Verse 6 jumped out to me today as a reminder that God wants good things for us. If it’s “impossible to please God without faith”, it must be obtainable in some capacity for every person. He doesn’t leave anyone out.
I love that verse too because God made a way for all and no-one is left out!
God longs for His people to be faithful to Him. He wants that personal relationship with them. Hebrews 11 shows the lives of people who aren’t perfect, yet chose Him. Chose Him to guide them. Chose Him when it seemed like all was lost. Chose Him and waited.
Waited. Listened. Hoped.
Amen!
I am in awe of this list of mighty acts of faith. Does anyone else suffer from some form of “survivor’s guilt?” These faithful servants suffered and endured because of their faith - they were pushed to their limits. As I sit in my comfortable chair with a blanket draped over my shoulder and a mug of warm coffee I am filled with gratitude, but also… guilt? Unworthy to be claiming this same faith that I’m not required to prove or suffer for. I pray my comfort in this life will not result in soft or shallow faith.
You’ll get your opportunity to suffer! Be sure to enjoy the joy and peace while you have it.
I suspect you’ve already had suffering moments along the way. There’s no Christian life without a cross.
Yahweh gives seasons. These stories of faith were over time. In some cases long periods of time. I loved what Carly shared, God give everyone the opportunity to grow in faith. I like that you are in a season of peace and gratitude. That is part of faith too, seeing the goodness of Yahweh!
I know you, my bff, and your faith is not shallow. Your faith strengthens my own.
Today I was struck by the reminder of how emotional the Lord is. Sometimes He gets portrayed as a distant, removed figure but today reminded me how much he engages emotionally. I also keyed in on the phrase “to be called their God”. He is personal.
I can't believe He's "mine." And that He likes that kind of intimate reference, that He wants me to think of Him as "mine." So good.
I am really gravitating to the phrase "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God" - I have long struggled with shame... and the idea that not only is God willing to be our God, He is also not ashamed to be called our God either, to be associated with us. And this is based on their desire and longing for a better country, for things to be better. I think it would be fair to say that it is based on their hope. These are people who were flawed people... the Bible doesn't flinch from showing us their weaknesses. That's just really encouraging to me.
Beautiful.
In verse 1, the words "assurance" and "conviction" resound in my mind today - thank you, Holy Spirit! Those words are followed by speaking of God's creating the universe - something I can see and enjoy today. I'm also pondering Abraham's longing for a city with foundations, knowing that his tent-life was temporary and hard. I wonder what he imagined in his longing for that city. Imagining that city, that better country, that something better for us, I am filled with joy and through God, have the assurance that his power will sustain me this day in all that I do, say, and think.
We’re going to camp out here for days and days. I think it’s just so rich!
I keep going back to v. 2 and receiving "divine appeoval". The verses that follow reveal people who acted on their faith which in turn resulted in being pleasing to God. For me, this means God wants my obedient faith (requires action) not just "I have faith everything is going to be okay in the end". I have to trust Him and depend on Him and pray to Him as I follow and serve Him.
I liked vs 40 in the sense that God provided something better for these spiritual ancestors ....but not apart from us. It feels very familiar - like God wants *all* of his people together in his spiritual family. It reminded me of my MIL who likes all of her babies together, and isn't a fan of groups splintering off when we come together for holidays and other occasions.
Also, getting ready to teach Look to Love to our youth group teen girls next month and am SO excited to share it with them! 🥰🥳
Hurrah for you using Look to Love for those girls! I LOVED the book, LOVED the podcast. Have added some of the stories to my go-to lists of scriptures. Have may times worked to look for God and ask those questions when reading and studying and wondering. A wonderful tool to put in the hands of teenagers.
The verses that jumped out to me this morning are verses 13 to 16. These all died in faith, not seen fully, but from a distance (my words). Often the first step in faith is not seeing the full picture. That first step is one of blind faith, a heart full of anticipation and full of fear of the unknown. Often my mind is asking 100 questions in 50 directions. Yet the step was taken. My prayer is, Yahweh, help me to be faithful in seeing an unclear path. Help me to be faithful in what I cannot see. Help me to hear your voice in the midst of my weaknesses. I am confident in your love and faithfulness.
I, too, am in awe of all of you and how your thoughts bring new perspectives and insights to my own thinking.
That’s an excellent prayer!
Yahweh, you are enough, and ever present, and always faithful.
God’s steadfastness stands out to me today. He is an ever present rock that is so much higher than I. And that is a reassuring foundation to rest on today 🤍
Maybe it’s because I just finished the creation episodes in Holy Ghost Stories, but I focused on how much pleasure we give Him when we demonstrate our faith. He took so much pleasure in creation.
I wrote many pages of notes and thoroughly enjoyed the process, but I camped out and let my mind wander in verse 11: "By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised."
God makes procreation possible. He has amazingly given the ability to be fruitful and multiply to his creation. Nothing is impossible for him - whether an old womb or a virgin conception.
But, also God is sovereignly in charge of opening and closing wombs and sustaining life, and I do not take that for granted. My daughter is currently pregnant with our next grandchild, the second we will see with physical eyes, but really our third. She and I both lost babies to miscarriage, so we carry the joy and grief that pregnancy can bring, and we know SO many people who bear the deep pain associated with not being able to conceive when they want to and seeing those who conceive when they don't want to. And still God is sovereign!
God knows each person before they are born and the number of their days. He knits each one together as his own masterpiece and prepares works for them to do. He loves, and calls, and gives life and breath and determines times and boundaries so that each one would seek him, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’
And that reminds me so much of a baby living and moving and having their being inside the womb of a Mama! I love how he uses physical things to teach us spiritual lessons and that he is faithful to keep his promises!
Love this!
I also just want to say how much I appreciate reading everyone’s comments. ❤️
Right?! It's my favorite part of the study.