Today’s epistolary reading from the daily office is the first third of one of my favorite chapters from one of my favorite books: Hebrews 11.  The chapter finishes out over the rest of the week.  The chapter rings loudly, even after the rousing commands of chapter 10 to draw near, hold fast, and consider key aspects of the Christian life and story.  Chapter 11, of course, focuses on faith.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Faith is vital to the Christian life but tricky in its translation to those outside of church.  It is not simply hope (as good as hope is).  It is an assurance of things hoped for.  It is not pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking.  It is a conviction concerning things we cannot see.  And because of faith, “the people of old received their commendation.”  Most of the remaining chapter points us to those ancient people, commended in spite of their faults and failures.

Nestled in between Abel and Enoch and Noah we find a potent promise concerning faith, particularly in light of Enoch:

. . . without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Someone recently asked me how they could grow in their relationship with God.  I encouraged the friend to go for some long walks and talk to God as if He was walking along with him.  True: God is walking along with him.  But it is also an act of faith to believe it when you cannot see it.

Today’s reading ended with Abraham and Sarah.  And with that reminder comes the nudge that faith isn’t just about achieving your personal best, about having grit, about some kind of individual empowerment.  Instead, it is faith in the context of a purposeful story, a history going somewhere.  Abraham was

looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

That becomes a thread that takes center stage in tomorrow’s reading.