FAITH

                     A NOTE FROM THE PASTOR

I’ve been doing lots of reading in the book of Hebrews lately. Interestingly enough, it’s not because of the Advent books that I read through and that will be sent out for you soon. Well, it’s not directly related—I started reading in Hebrews again because I had been looking at all the Advent books to choose one to be sent out.
 
So, there are lots of gems in this letter to Hebrew Christians. And right there in the middle is this:

         “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
         and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1)
 
What follows that is the listing of our ancestors of faith. And the next chapter tells us to keep doing our best to be God’s people of faith.
 
But, wait a second here, if we cannot see something how can we be certain of it? And if we only hope for something how can we be sure of it?
 
That’s really the bottom line of where doubts and fears come from, I think. We are not sure and so we bite our lips and shift around and don’t know what to do.
 
The best thing this passage and this particular verse tell us is that we are not the only ones who are unsure or having problems believing. That list of the faithful in chapter 11 is a bunch of folks who persevered in spite of their doubts and fears.
 
So, as we enter the season of holidays and celebration, let any uncertainty be there. Don’t let those questions cripple you. Continue to hope, continue to seek the good, continue to live in faith. And surely then God will be with us and strengthen us and help us to live as his people.
                          
                                                       Pastor Nancy