FISH Sandwiches

Hebrews chapter 11 talks about many of the great people of faith in the Old Testament, and the things they accomplished by their faith. Interestingly, there’s a recurring theme in that chapter about looking forward to the end destination.  In summing up the stories of these heroes of faith, the Bible says:

“All these people were still living by faith when the died.  They did not receive the things promised: they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.  And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth… they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:13 & 16, NIV)

Hebrews speaks of Abraham who, while still living in tents, was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Heb 11:10)  And Moses “regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” (Heb 11:26).

When the angel of the Lord told Hagar about the future of her child, that her descendents would be too numerous to count, she would have been encouraged.  It would have helped her go back to Sarah and face her difficult circumstances.

And looking forward to where he was going helped Jesus endure the cross – giving us a model of how we should approach the trials of life (which don’t come any tougher than the cross):

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross…” (Heb 12:2, NIV)

We too, as Christians, have something to look forward to.  We have a firm and glorious hope because of the One who went ahead of us.

“… God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col 1:27, NIV)

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Rom 5:5, NIV)

In the light of our eternal destiny with God, our present struggles are only fleeting, as real and difficult as they might be.

– Joey