Hebrews 11 Archives

In thinking more about faith, it always seems to take me yet again to my small grandchildren. They always just say yes.

CHILDLIKE FAITH

Little children have this inapt way of processing life – and every single thing about it. They see things at face value – they don’t question – they see through eyes of innocence not yet tainted/corrupted – they don’t have higher aspirations for you or themselves because they like it the way it IS – they will try anything – life is a thrill, even blowing bubbles, even crazy hair day. Every conversation I have with them always leaves me basking in the wonder of being a child. Let them be children. Let them talk. Let them dream. Let them remind US of what it is we so desperately need to survive and thrive in the adult world.

WHY do you think God told us we would need to be like a child to see HIM? When we go looking for God as adults, we see through a glass darkly – our vision has since been tainted and corrupted by the world, by way of just growing up – we only view God through the mirror of our own image or who the world tells us we are.

“Jesus said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14)

JUST SAY YES

What is so funny or not funny/ maybe I should say – ironic – is that God wants us to come to Him exactly as we are. That could look like so many different things – “Just as I am, I come.” We might come as the abuse victim, the abuser, rape victim, prince or princess, prisoner, unwed mother, grandmother, disabled house-bound woman, blind, anxiety filled career woman, cripple, artist, fisherman, tax collector, demon possessed – do you get my drift? Jesus’ choice of His disciples was a brilliant light shining for all of humanity to be able to see – to see ourselves in at least ONE of them! The invitation is not exclusive or restricted – God said WHOSOEVER. That is every.single.one.of.us. We all hold the golden ticket in our hand – it really is whether or not we cash it in.

Yes, I will come as I am. All I need to follow God is a Yes. All God is waiting for FROM me, is a Yes. My Yes is the key to unlock the door of HOPE. Faith is just saying YES. That is it.

I don’t need to be more than the sum total of my YES; God will do the rest.

“Corine, tell your story.” I finally surrendered and said Yes. I didn’t know beyond that yes what it would be like, look like – it really wasn’t the issue – I have learned God is the God of the beyond. I just needed to be in the present moment of saying Yes. Did I know I would write two published books? Did I know my book would find its way into other countries, into prisons, into recovery programs? Did I know that my story would heal others? Did I know my one YES would change MY life? No. But saying Yes was my faith activatior. Faith opened the door of hope, and I was able to come out of the valley of trouble. What might God be asking YOU to say YES to? I bet you already know.

FAITH OF OUR ANCESTORS

“And so from this one man (Abraham), and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:12) Whoa. Pretty sure I missed this verse till now. One man. Could be any one of us/all of us. “He as good as dead…” Wow. I bet we have ALL felt this way. But THEN from this ONE man – descendants…generations.. AND “By faith the prostitute Rahab…” Faith and prostitute in the same sentence – it was Rahab’s faith that saved her/ her YES was bigger than her sin.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients (our ancestors) were commended for.” (Hebrews 11:1) Hebrews 11 goes on to say “the world was not worthy of them.” Okay HERE’s the kicker. THIS is what we need to get. “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.” THEY are waiting on us to take our place. We are born to move mountains, and we need a childlike faith to move adult size mountains. We just need a YES that says, I am all in. Period.

That’s it – that is the faith of our ancestors. That is the faith of our grandchildren. All the joy. All the mystery. All the wonder. All the faith. Let your Yes be Yes – just say YES!

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