He rewards those who seek him. – Hebrews 11:6
A young man who is growing in his affections for a young lady will usually seek every opportunity to be with her. He will go to great lengths to please her and have a relationship with her. His attention will be drawn to her; a casual glance at her will not be sufficient.
Similarly, a casual glance in the direction of the Lord is hardly enough. The writer of Hebrews is very specific about the requisites for pleasing God and having a meaningful relationship with Him. The seemingly obvious requirement is to have faith in His existence. “And 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” (Hebrews 11:6). Creation shouts the existence of Father God, but only by earnest, effort-filled study of His Word will you know Him for who He is…Provider for the children He loves. The Father loves justice and hates lawlessness, and thus requires obedience, but you must seek Him to know what that is. Great are the rewards if you do!
“Be confident,” says Bible commentator Warren Wiersbe. “God is shaking things up so you might learn to live by faith and not by sight. He wants to build your life on the permanence of the eternal, not on the instability of the temporal” – words just as meaningful now as when they were written forty years ago. Pray for consistency in your study of Scripture. Then intercede passionately for this nation’s leaders that they would know the truth of God and seek Him for the wisdom they need in these strange times.
Today’s Verse: Hebrews 11:6
And 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.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Hebrews 11:7-8, 24-27, 32-38, 22-24, 28
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
