The plot thickens~
as all these other
"characters"
who are called the witnesses of Hebrews 11,
do the unspeakable~ They believed.
They followed.
They
WALKED BY FAITH~
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11: 1).
A slew of characters
who
"were all commended for their faith,
yet none of them received what had been promised," (Hebrews 11:39).
and they did it anyway.
They followed a
PROMISE.
They followed
GOD
to the bitter end~
even though
they never could see the
PROMISED MESSIAH
but they believed anyway~
Because
FAITH IS BLIND
because
Blind
sees nothing,
yet
feels more & senses there is so much more
and keeps on going
even when the going gets tough
because
there is so much more
than your eyes & my eyes can see
because
of this character
JESUS~
A Someone who they could not see
yet
A Promise from GOD
that kept them going anyway~
"All these people were still living by faith when they died.
They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth" (Hebrews 11:13)
All characters of a bigger story~
just like your story & my story~
because we are a part of
HIS~STORY
that is
Not a story of fiction
but a story filled with
HOPE~
"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all.
Who hopes for what they already have?
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently" (Romans 8:24)
We remember the witnesses, our forefathers of Hebrews 11~
Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Isaac & Rehab...
to name a few,
all characters of
FAITH
who kept going when the going got tough
because
they saw the bigger picture~
the much bigger picture
than their eyes could see.
The much bigger picture
than our eyes can see~
yet in our heart of hearts
lives the ONE
who is more than a
Fictional Character
because
HE is
JESUS
who I follow
&
who you follow
BY FAITH
because
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).
Therefore,
"since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us,
Fixing our eyes on JESUS,
the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before HIM HE endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD.
Consider HIM who endured such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12: 1-3)
Don't you see~
FAITH OR FICTION?