May 2, 2023

Hebrews 11: 39 These were all commended for their faith . . . (NIV)

The faults of humans should not shake your faith in an Almighty God.*

Hebrews eleven is called The Faith Chapter. The people named in this chapter are considered to be members of the Faith Hall of Fame. The writer commends them for their faith and their faithfulness, and it seems that God was pleased with them for the same reasons. While we don’t know everything about these men (and one woman), what we do know about most of them is not all good. For instance: 

· Noah – got drunk and behaved shamefully 

· Abraham – a polygamist and a manipulator 

· Jacob – a cheater and a manipulator 

· Moses – a murderer 

· Rahab – a prostitute 

· Samson – physically strong but weak in character 

· David – adulterer and murderer 

We might be tempted to define these heroes by their worst moments, but they found favor with God because of their faith, not because they were perfect. They serve as reminders of what God sees when he looks at us. One writer expresses it beautifully: It’s wrong to idealize biblical characters or to excuse their faults. . . . But it is just as wrong to fail to recognize the fact that in forgiveness, God faces our sin, deals with it, and sends it to oblivion.*

At the end of our lives, it is our faith that defines us – not our sin.

Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior.*