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Have you ever found yourself struggling because you have not seen something come to pass or life didn’t look exactly as you thought it would? Sadly, I have to admit that I have more times than I would like to say. I have been in this sort of season lately and today was my wake up call that I had allowed this to settle in my heart. This morning I spent some time reading the Bible and I was reading through Hebrews 11 and boy did I walk away challenged and encouraged! In Hebrews 11:13 it is talking about Abraham and Sarah and how they had the most beautiful powerful word from God but they didn’t live to see it fully completed. “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” It just stunned me to read this and realize that Abraham and Sarah saw some of the word come to pass but they didn’t cling to it and allow it to distract them from the truth that they were just on this earth for a bit and visiting as citizens of Heaven. Their focus was on the kingdom of God, they didn’t get tripped up, or at least not permanently, on what they saw. Sure, they took some wrong steps and struggled but in the end they stood on the word God gave them despite what they saw. Abraham was even willing to offer that which was promised back to God! He was willing to give his son to God because He was so sure of God’s faithfulness that he knew it would be ok.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense” Hebrews 11:17-19.
The amazing thing is that the chapter goes on and on about different examples where people clung to God and not what He can or has said He would give. Over and over it proves that He alone is more than enough and that we can trust His words to be completed even if we don’t see it on this earth. I pray that every parent who prays for a child who is wandering, every family member asking for the salvation of lost family will know that this is true for them. I pray that everyone harboring a word that He spoke in their heart will know that He is faithful to complete it! God will never leave His word unaccomplished! Just before Jesus died on the cross He spoke the word Tetelestai which is often translated as “it is finished” but the full meaning of it is “I have accomplished all I came to do”. He spoke that across time and realms. It was heard in heaven and earth and throughout every age! Open your heart to the hope of His goodness and lay hold of the truth that you are only passing through this earth as visitors. The ultimate gift is His mercy and grace and that amazing gift of eternity with Him! Shake off the strain of what your eyes don’t see happening and lift them to the glory of His name and love!