by Dr. John Harvey
The beginning of a New Year tends to be the season when we are all looking forward to the coming year and hoping that it will be better than the past year. In the spiritual realm, that practice of looking for something better is actually what faith is all about. Hebrews 11:13-16 reminds us that the heroes of faith all looked beyond the present to something better.
They adopted a heavenly perspective (11:14-16a). “They desired a better country, that is a heavenly one.”
The characteristic that all the heroes of Hebrews 11 had in common was that they were seeking a homeland (v.14). What made them different was their willingness to leave one “home” in order to look for another (v.15). They were willing to keep moving because they were longing for something better—a heavenly home (v.16a).
By adopting a heavenly perspective, they embraced their pilgrim status (11:13). “[They] confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”
They developed and maintained their heavenly perspective by taking three steps. First, they “saw” God’s promises with eyes of faith. Second, the “welcomed” those promises with hearts of faith. Third, they “confessed” who they were: “strangers and aliens on the earth.” Their confession was a response of faith.
When they embraced their pilgrim status, they received divine approval (11:16b). “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.”
It is possible to state positively what the author writes as “God was proud to be called their God. Why was God proud of them? Because he could see what they could not. He could already see the city John saw in Revelation 21:10-27, and he was proud that they were looking for it even though they could not yet see it.
At the beginning of this New Year, are you looking for something better? Will you adopt a heavenly perspective? Will you embrace your pilgrim status? Will you make God proud that you call him your God? Will you focus on his promises—seeing them with eyes of faith, welcoming them with a heart of faith, and responding to them with a confession of faith?
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