Died In Faith

Have you considered what will be the inscription on your grave stone? I like this one: "I Told You I Was Sick." Although God promised him the land, Abraham had to purchase a plot of ground to bury his wife, Sarah. That Cave of Machpelah in Hebron eventually became the resting place for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Hebrews 11:13 says, "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." What an epitaph: Died In Faith! In his book Going Places with God, Wayne Stiles writes: "In spite of all we believe as true, we still scurry to find satisfaction in this life." Keeping the faith is a struggle: day-after-day we face disappointments and frustrations that would otherwise cause us to give-up and abandon the struggle. Throughout Chapter 11, we read of those faithful ones who persevered, enduring much. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1, ESV). Abraham is an example of one who believed God's promise even though he died before God's promise was completely fulfilled. Did that mean God's promise was invalid? Absolutely not! Abraham's steadfast faith brought him satisfaction not only in his earthly life but in the next life. For the Believer, death is not an end but a beginning to know God's promises in the most perfect way. What an epitaph - What a testimony ... died in faith!