Daily Bread: Trusting God When You Cannot See

😇 Shalom to all.
God’s word today:

“And WHAT MORE SHALL I SAY? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who THROUGH FAITH subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.
OTHERS WERE TORTURED, NOT ACCEPTING DELIVERANCE, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having OBTAINED A GOOD TESTIMONY THROUGH FAITH, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”
‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭32‬-‭40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Hebrews 11:32–40 brings the great “hall of faith” to its climax, with very different circumstances:
* Some experienced powerful victories.
* Others experienced suffering: torture, imprisonment, persecution, poverty, wandering, and even death (vv. 35–38).

Important godly wisdom:
biblical faith does not guarantee that every believer will experience the same earthly outcome.

Yet both groups had something in common, that God’s words declared them:
“Having obtained a good testimony through faith…” (Heb. 11:39)

Their faith gave them a good testimony—a life that God Himself could commend. Their good testimony was not based on whether life was comfortable, whether they became successful, or whether they received everything they hoped for in this present age.

And this leads to the profound statement in verse 40:
“God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

The “something better” ultimately points to the fullness of salvation accomplished in Christ—The Old Testament believers were waiting for what God would accomplish through Christ. In the New Testament we live on this side of Christ’s coming, death, resurrection, and the inauguration of the new covenant. So there is a beautiful unity between believers of Old Testament and New Testament across generations.

Hebrews 11 therefore teaches us: The heroes of faith obtained a good testimony, not necessarily because they received everything they expected, but because they remained faithful to God until the end of their lives on earth.

Our goal in following Jesus is not simply to have a comfortable life or to receive every answer we want from God.

Our greatest testimony is:
“I trusted God fully. I remained faithful to Him all the days of my life on earth.

Perhaps today you are praying for something you have not yet seen. Do not conclude that God’s delay means God’s failure.

Keep believing. Keep obeying. Keep walking with Christ.

Your faithfulness today is becoming part of a testimony that will outlive your circumstances.

Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, help me to remain faithful even when I cannot yet see the fulfillment of Your promises. Let my life obtain a good testimony through faith. I trust Your timing, Your wisdom, and Your perfect plan. Amen.”

Bless you
ps caleblusi