God Endures

I often read Hebrews 11 when I need a reminder that hard and perplexing circumstances can be endured by faith. It helps me to persist, seeking to honor God by faith when my sight feels dim.

But.

Recently it struck me that the “heroes of the faith” remembered in the passage weren’t the only ones in their stories who had to endure – God endured too. God persisted. God remained faithful.

It’s easy to forget God has a perspective on the details of our lives, given that He knows all things for all time.

The Bible shows us He is personally involved and invested though, in the happenings of our hearts and lives, in our space and time.

We read about God:

• Rejoicing over His people (Zephaniah 3:17)
• Considering the death of one of His own precious in sight (Psalm 116:15)
• Lamenting over the wicked not turning to Him (Ezekiel 33:11)

We see Jesus:

• Grieving and weeping (John 11:35)
• Flipping tables in righteous anger (Matthew 21:12)
• Longing to gather and care for His people (Matthews 23:37)

God remains involved, emotionally invested, and faithful through all of humanity’s decisions and circumstances.

Returning to our heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11, we remember that God endured as He:

• Honors the death of Abel, who He was pleased with
• Restored Abraham and Sarah after their risky deceit of two kings
• Kept his promises to them despite them trying to fulfill them on their own through Hagar
• Blessed Jacob and his offspring even though the family was rife with sins like selling a brother into slavery
• Rescued His people from Egypt, knowing they were hard-hearted, skeptical and idolatrous
• The list goes on

Just as there are more people mentioned by name, and then many more who aren’t listed at all, there are more stories than we can fathom of God’s enduring love and faithfulness. In Jesus’ 33 years on earth alone, we read, there were more stories of what He did than could be contained in this world (John 21:25.)

Yes, with the Lord a thousand years are like a day. Yes, God knows exactly how all things will work out in the end. Yes, He has the power to work all things for the good.

And, yes, God is involved right now, invested in the details of our lives, enduring through it all. That never changes.