第十一章

¹ 信就是對所盼望的事的把握，是還沒有看見的事的明證。 ² 因著這信心，古人得到了稱許。 ³ 因著信，我們就明白宇宙（“宇宙”或譯：“諸世界”或“眾世代”）是因著神的話造成的。這樣，那看得見的就是從那看不見的造出來的。

³⁹ 所有這些人都藉著信得了稱許，卻還沒有得著所應許的； ⁴⁰ 因為神已經為我們預備了更美的事，使他們若不跟我們在一起，就不能完全。

默想

1. 若時間許可，將十一章全部讀一遍，但專注在1-3及39-40節。
2. 本章可說是“信心偉人名人榜”，所羅列的人物，有些為要榮耀神，而作了很大的犧牲。作者首先給信心作了定義，「信就是對所盼望的事的把握，是還沒有看見的事的明證」。
3. 禱告：我願意存著信心生活到底，雖然知道在世不可能得著神所應許的，「只是從遠處看見，就表示歡迎」。我承認我在世上「是異鄉人，是客旅。但是我所嚮往的，是一個更美的、在天上的家鄉。所以，神不以我稱祂為神而覺得羞恥；因為祂已經為我預備了一座城。願我看為基督受的羞辱，比世界的財物更寶貴，因為我切盼期待將來的賞賜。」

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

 

CHAPTER 11

¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for.  ³By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

³⁹These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. ⁴⁰God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

 

MEDITATION

1. If time allows, read all Hebrews 11, but focus on verses 1-3 and 39-40.
2. This familiar passage is often called the Faith Hall of Fame.  Some of the people listed made great personal sacrifices to bring glory to God.  We’ve all heard, and possibly even uttered, the saying “seeing is believing”.  The writer of Hebrews begins with a definition of faith.  Faith, he writes, is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”.  So, really, not seeing… is believing.
3. Pray: By God’s grace I want to live to the end in faith, knowing that I will not receive the promises on earth, but seeing them and welcoming them from a distance, I confess that I am a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth.  Instead, I long for a better country, a heavenly one.  In this way, God will not be ashamed to be called my God, for He has prepared a city for me.  Like Moses, may I esteem reproach for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of this world, because I am looking to the reward.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the  “Spiritual Journal” book.