40 Days of Faith
"Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance,
that they might obtain a better resurrection."
Hebrews 11:35
Faith in God has its eyes always on what it cannot see through the will of the Father. There are times when deliverance does not seem to be an option, but we trust God that He will bring it about according to His will. Our human mind cannot fathom resurrection, yet we and all of creation groan for it as we wait for that day of adoption.
The Bible gives us multiple illustrations of those that received their dead raised to life again. The godly woman that took care of God's prophet rejoiced at the resurrection of her son. A widow who met Jesus during the funeral procession of her son experienced a joy unspeakable as her son was raised to live again. Mary and Martha stood in amazement as their brother who had been entombed for four days emerged from the tomb breathing new air. God is the giver of life, and in His will He gives healing and brings resurrection.
However, for every story that we recall where someone received their love one back from the grave, there are hundreds of stories of those who tasted only the bitter tears of grief. Their loved one did not rise again. Their bodies stayed locked away in that cold tomb. What is the hope that these individuals have? The writer of Hebrews tells us that they did not accept deliverance. The word "accept" literally means that they did not expect or look for resurrection in this life. The eyes of their faith were on something far better than breathing this earthly air again. They wanted for their loved ones and themselves to know the joy of breathing celestial air in the presence of God. They yearned in their spirit and their body to be absent from this body and present with the Lord.
These individuals agreed with Paul that the sufferings of this present world could not even compare to the glory that would be revealed to them when they stepped out of this life into the arms of the Almighty. If God should choose to leave them here in this world, they would rejoice and serve Him wholeheartedly. However, if God should choose to call them to enter into the joy of the Lord, they were most ready. How greatly we need to be prepared to live here in this world and the next!
May you desire only the will of the Father today!
The Bible gives us multiple illustrations of those that received their dead raised to life again. The godly woman that took care of God's prophet rejoiced at the resurrection of her son. A widow who met Jesus during the funeral procession of her son experienced a joy unspeakable as her son was raised to live again. Mary and Martha stood in amazement as their brother who had been entombed for four days emerged from the tomb breathing new air. God is the giver of life, and in His will He gives healing and brings resurrection.
However, for every story that we recall where someone received their love one back from the grave, there are hundreds of stories of those who tasted only the bitter tears of grief. Their loved one did not rise again. Their bodies stayed locked away in that cold tomb. What is the hope that these individuals have? The writer of Hebrews tells us that they did not accept deliverance. The word "accept" literally means that they did not expect or look for resurrection in this life. The eyes of their faith were on something far better than breathing this earthly air again. They wanted for their loved ones and themselves to know the joy of breathing celestial air in the presence of God. They yearned in their spirit and their body to be absent from this body and present with the Lord.
These individuals agreed with Paul that the sufferings of this present world could not even compare to the glory that would be revealed to them when they stepped out of this life into the arms of the Almighty. If God should choose to leave them here in this world, they would rejoice and serve Him wholeheartedly. However, if God should choose to call them to enter into the joy of the Lord, they were most ready. How greatly we need to be prepared to live here in this world and the next!
May you desire only the will of the Father today!
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