Who
is your favorite person in Old Testament? And have you ever imagined you
have a better relationship with God than they enjoyed?
The
questions came up in our small group last night as part of a book study we are
doing (more to come later on the book...) But we tend to look at the Old
Testament greats as spiritual giants. The 'Hall of Faith' in Hebrews 11
calls out many of biggies. They are indeed great. Their faith
unrivaled. Tucked into chapter 11 are two huge verses that often skipped
right over. Or we don't pause to grasp how huge the message is that they
carry...
13
"These
all died in faith, not having received the things promised,
but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having
acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth..."
39
"And all these, though commended through their faith, did
not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided
something better for us, that apart from us they should not be
made perfect."
Despite
all of what is listed in chapter 11, not one of them had what we have. Jesus in us. Jesus through us.
God IN us. The Holy Spirit daily as our step-by-step Counselor.
Advocate. It was always His plan all along. Something better.
Those who are in Christ… pause and ponder this a
moment. How greater our love... how greater our faith... how
greater our freedom should we truly grasp what we have on this side of the
cross. A whole new way given to us.
Not a different God, a different way.
Those who may not be in Christ… all have sinned and
fall short of God’s glory. We were all
dead in our transgressions and dead in the law at one point. God has provided something better on this
side of His Son Jesus’ cross. Today is
the day of salvation.
