Author: Dave Dishman (Page 58 of 390)

In the Bible we read of those who came long before us and how they overcame obstacle after obstacle—by faith. By faith Abel…by faith Enoch…by faith Noah…by faith Abraham…by faith Sarah…by faith Moses…

Abraham moved to an unknown land, while Sarah longed for a baby her entire life. Unnamed others faced mistreatment, persecution, jeers and imprisonment—even to the point of being sawed in two. By faith they persevered.

None of these saints experienced the culmination of God’s work that later arrived with Jesus.These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

They hoped beyond this world. These ancestors knew there had to be more. They sensed a reality beyond their day to day. They were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.

At times I get the same feeling. This world appears burnt around the edges. Society crumbles. To think there must be a better place comes natural. I’m longing for a superior country, one that exists just beyond my reach. A land more vibrant and just and engaging and alive than anyone can imagine.

Our ancestors hoped for a Messiah arriving in a misty future. We trust in a Messiah emerging from a misty past, a Savior to lead us into a better country.

Hebrews 11 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by K. Mitch Hodge

I’ve always been intrigued by this bit of advice in the Bible:

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Such a a mysterious promise. Demonstrate open-handed generosity to strangers? Because who knows—one might be an angel?

I wonder if I’ve ever helped an angel, or walked by one in my distrust of unfamiliar people? I’m sure I’ve missed more than I’ve entertained. I err on the side of suspicion.

But the injunction here is to err on the side of loving others. First, stick with our brothers and sisters. Don’t give up on each other. Then take a risk and reach out to those outside our circle. Demonstrate warmth, show kindness, and listen. Hospitality places us face to face with others.

I find this uncomfortable. I’d rather make an on-line donation and go about my day. But the type of love God calls us to is inconvenient and messy. And sometimes attended to by angels.

Hebrews 13 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Matt Collamer

I try to get up and move my body in some way every day. I enjoy walking, especially getting outside under a blue sky. Other days I go to the gym. The discipline of exercise benefits the whole of my life. I stay healthier, I think better, and I’m kinder with people.

At the gym I always start using the weights and realize once again the work involved. Trainers use the phrase “resistance training” for a reason. My muscles benefit from the stress of pushing and pulling, even as they complain.

The writer of Hebrews pointed out the value of discipline the Lord brings into the life of his followers. He wrote:

God disciplines us for our good, in order that we might share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

The challenges I face serve to train me, and allow me to share in God’s holiness. It turns my attitude around when I go from, This stinks, how do I get out of this situation? to What might the Lord have to me in the middle of such a hard time?

Discipline may not feel delightful in the moment, whether it be at the gym or in middle of demanding situations. But seeing these times as the Lord’s training rather than his punishment allows me to reap a depth of character and eventually peace. Not so pleasant today, but worth it tomorrow.

Hebrews 12 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Ambitious Studio* – Rick Barrett

I believe in viruses, although I cannot see them. I studied viruses in graduate school, and I’ve seen electron microscope pictures of what they look like. But I can’t hold one in my hand or peer at it through a glass. However, despite their invisibility, I feel their influence.

Oddly enough, faith acts a lot like a virus.

Faith is a slippery concept. The author of Hebrews tells us that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. How are we assured of what we cannot see? By the influence unseen forces have upon us and our world.

I find it fascinating that the first challenge of faith involves how we got here in the first place: By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

The formation of the universe remains a fundamental challenge for science. If it all started with a big bang, then who lit the fuse? If galaxies exploded from pure energy, from where did this energy originate? By faith many believe the voice of God launched the cosmos. By faith others cling to an undiscovered cause—but then who caused the undiscovered cause? Either way, we must engage with faith.

It doesn’t take much faith to start influencing our lives. Like covid-19 taking hold, faith grows quietly. People say that faith and science don’t mix. But actually the ways of nature mimic faith. A little belief takes root. The Holy Spirit starts to act. Before long you’ve contracted the disease.

And it’s the best disease you’ll ever catch. The virus of faith infuses you, then leaps to others. No need to wear a mask, let your faith in the Lord infect everyone around—because all the world needs this contagion.

Hebrews 11 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by CDC