Something Better
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 (Hebrews 11:39-40).
As we come to the end of Hebrews 11, we’re reminded of a vital fact: one of these heroes of faith knew Jesus in the way that we do. They are all Old Testament characters, and had not received the fulfilment of the promises made that are not fulfilled through the finished work of Christ. Yet they lived with such stunning faith in God, and despite the limitations of their understanding, were faithful.
Let’s pause and be grateful for free access to God without shed blood or ceremony; knowledge that our sins, whatever they are, can be forgiven; the 20/20 vision of grace that helps us to know that God is love, and love has come down to where we are. We have the teachings of Jesus, which take us beyond rules and regulations; we can experience the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, because the comforter has come. We are part of the church that he has created, where ethnicity and social class are irrelevant. We can face death knowing that it has been totally conquered, and know that when we come to God with our sadnesses and sorrows, that he quite literally has been where we are, and so is moved with compassion and empathy. We have access to his wisdom, his direction, and can participate in his kingdom strategy. And ultimately, we will be with Him, on the day when tears will be history, and pain will finally be sent packing for ever. Heaven is not heavenly because it is paradise restored, but because he is there, and we will be with him. We are in Christ.