Inspired by Hebrews
11:4-7
“And without faith it
is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that
he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Oh, to be rewarded by God!
Such is the objective of many well-intentioned Christians. To be blessed by him, receive favor from him,
and to know the satisfaction of having pleased the God of heaven and
earth. What can one do to achieve such a
thing?
The first step is to know that we can do nothing. The second step is to disregard all hope for
specific rewards.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Whoever would approach him must believe that
he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. We don’t have to find him first. We don’t have to know all the right answers
or do all the right things. All we have
to do is seek him. Our act of searching
for him will please him, and we will know that he is pleased when he reveals
himself to us, and affirms his relationship with us, and assures us of his love
for us.
All this is made possible by faith, which is the assurance
of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. We have not seen God, but we seek him
nonetheless. And why do we seek him? Because he has given us the faith to do so.
God has given us the means by which we may please him and be
rewarded by him. The first move was his;
he gave us our faith, and that has opened up a world of possibilities for us.
Let us pray. Lord of
all, you planted within us the desire to know you. Nurture that desire and increase our faith,
that we may seek you and be pleasing in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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