40 Days of Faith
"Of whom the world was not worthy.
They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth."
Hebrews 11:38
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in a poem for The Lord of the Rings, "Not all those who wander are lost." How appropriate that quote is for this passage of Scripture. It makes you wonder if this passage was on the mind of Tolkien as he wrote that. These persecuted and tortured souls had no place in this world to lay their head, but they looked for a promise and a home that was not of this world.
The character of God's choice servants is most beautifully displayed in their days of suffering. It is there that you can see more clearly what they are on the inside. Just as gold must be tried in a furnace to be made more pure, so these children of God endure the crucible that tests their faith in the Almighty. Christ is alive in them, and they bear the mark of His cross on their lives. Therefore, this vile world is not worthy to have such men and women of godliness to abide in it. They are left as a remnant to preserve this world as salt from God's coming judgment and to shine as lights for the path that leads to everlasting life.
While the wicked take their ease and lie on beds of ivory in their palaces, these faithful children of the Most High live as animals in dens and caves. They seek rest for their bodies as they travel up and down the mountain pathways with their eyes fixed on their eternal home. There is no reason to build permanent structures for their shelter when God has provided them those places that are of good use for their temporary stay.
We would do well to follow the example of these dear brothers and sisters in Christ and not get so attached to the cares of this life. Our worries of comfort and convenience must be replaced with a desire to satisfy only the desires of our Lord. There is nothing in this world that will ever be of more value than the knowledge that the Father is pleased with us.
May you wander in the paths of God's grace today!
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