Day 2: Able Still Speaks

Scripture

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. y faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. Hebrews 11:1-4

while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, Genesis 4:4

Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Genesis 4:8

Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. 1 John 3:12

Devotional Material

One of my daughters suffers from allergies in the fall. When she was younger, her father proposed a medical treatment to help alleviate her symptoms. But her response was downright negative. In fact, she told him she didn’t know why we would try that because it was never going to work! Since she was all of seven, dad wanted to know what tainted her thinking.

Apparently, the child had been steered away by an infomercial on television. Even though she had no medical training, zero experience, or justification for distrusting her father, she demonstrated little to no faith in the proposed remedy.

Unfortunately, the reasoning of a misguided and gullible seven year old can sound a lot like you and me when it comes to trusting God and matters of faith.

In The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan created a character named Little Faith. Little Faith has just that: little faith. Oh, he eventually makes it to heaven, but he doesn’t experience the kind of victories and successes worth retelling. Bunyan pushes the reader past settling for little faith toward become a person with great faith.

He knows possessing a meager faith will cause a person to spend too much time in the gutters fighting make-believe foes. Positively that person gets to heaven. There is grace enough. But for some reason, the confidence to believe God can accomplish what He sets in motion never materializes.

Too often, too many limp along unable to believe God beyond what we can see.

Abel still speaks today.

Why?

Abel believed God for what he could not see during his time through his circumstances.

That’s it. That’s all great faith ever requires.

But let’s be frank. Great faith will be costly. People are hurting. Children are without families. Widows are neglected. Girls are enslaved. Countless others are displaced and hungry, all without the Gospel.

The world needs Believers in Christ who will take a step toward greater and deeper faith. As it has been through the ages, so it is here and now. The world is looking for hope. And faith displayed in your life is what it looks like.

Ask God to help you recognize where you are settling for a lesser faith in Him. Then prepare to move toward a faith that hopes in what it cannot see.

What is one step you can take toward trusting God for the unseen today?

with much affection,

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