Hebrews 11:8-12

Summary retelling of Hebrews 11:8-12

It is by faith that God told Abraham to leave his home and go to a place of God’s choosing: Abraham’s inheritance.  Abraham went, not knowing where he was headed.  By faith Abraham was willing to live in tents in a land of promise with his son Isaac and his grandson, Jacob.  Abraham was able to look forward to the fulfillment of God’s promise in the city of God.  Even though she was barren, it was by faith in God that Sarah was able to conceive a child.  Thus, we can say for certain that although Abraham and Sarah had no realistic expectation of having heirs and an inheritance God made both possible through faith.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

God told Abraham to leave his hometown.  God didn’t tell Abraham where he was going to end up.  God merely said to follow Him and to trust Him.  Abraham went.  He left family, friends, and no doubt his worldly inheritance.  But he went.  He followed God because God asked him to go.

Would you have been able to leave?  What can this point teach us about what holds us back from doing God’s will?

Second Thought:

Abraham was willing to live in tents.  Now, this isn’t a commentary on poverty.  This is a commentary on Abraham being a sojourner.  Abraham was willing to feel like a foreigner.  He was willing to feel like he was out of his comfort zone.  He was willing to try new things.  He was able to do all of these things because his focus was on God and the things of God.  He was focused on God’s promise, not his worldly condition.

What conditions are willing to put up with just to follow God?  Are there things that you could not part with or places you would refuse to go?

Third Thought:

Sarah and Abraham were far too old to become parents when they had Isaac.  It shouldn’t have happened.  Yet, they believed God could do it (even if they did struggle to understand how God would do it).  God had already proven that he could provide an inheritance for Abraham and Sarah, why could he not also provide heirs to inherit it?  The faith of Sarah is a faith that believes in the impossible.

Has God done anything in your life that you have thought to be impossible?  How does seeing God’s hand at work help you believe in what God can still do in the future?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 11:13-16