Drawn to the light
A community of hope
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Something to think about
If you’ve got a few minutes extra today, you might want to read the whole of Hebrews 11, Just before the roll-call of famous figures of faith, the writer offers a sort of definition that roots faith firmly in the hope of what is not (yet) visible.
For Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that meant living in the space between promise and fulfilment. The image of them living in flimsy tents while looking forward to a city on firm foundations, is powerfully symbolic. I imagine the extended family sat around a campfire on a clear night, telling stories of past encounters with God and speaking into life the future vision.
As God’s people today, we too should radiate hope. We can be pretty good at telling the stories of the past – sometimes a little too good, if we get stuck in nostalgia, yearning for an imagined golden-age of faith. But what about the stories of the future? The sure and certain hope of God’s kingdom fully realised, of justice and peace reigning at last, and the triumph of love over division, is a story worth sharing again and again.
Something to do
As this year begins, make plans for a fundraising event for Christian Aid in the months ahead. Whether you could manage a marathon or prefer food and fun, enlist a few friends and dream big. Give yourself plenty of time to plan ahead!