160 Hebrews 11:6

Meaning: “conveying a significance that is not directly expressed . . .”

As the Season of Christmas continues and the New Year begins, Attentive Reader, one can ensure a good start to the year by remembering that Scripture guarantees that when the adventurer perseveres in believing God through hard times, even when the adventure is not all positive and enjoyable, rewards will come (Hebrews 11:6).

In fact, taping this scripture on a column in the house or under a magnet on the refrigerator where it is easy to see (implying it should be looked at often) could be the single most encouraging thing one could do for oneself in this whole year! I have included the verse below for your and my inspiration:

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV)

Even though we live in a fallen world where others can sin against one, or one can stumble and sin against one’s self (all on one’s own), or, of course, where one can sin against others also; God’s guarantee still applies. Though, and here is a great sadness, ultimately, Scripture asserts all sin is primarily against God. Such is the deep-rootedness of the “fall.” Yet, thankfully, (and here is a great reward!) sin is not as frequent as before becoming a believer! And, thankfully, in Christ Jesus (another great reward!) we believers are continually being cleansed of sin (1 John 1:7, NKJV).

For me, a highly precious reward among those many to come from God is that the hard road I may have to travel now, I am assured, will seem as nothing when I finally arrive in eternity in Christ Jesus. What a promise! What a gift! A gift brought to us by the first arrival of God on earth in the form of this tiny baby we remember with such yearning and tingling anticipation each year and for whom this pinnacle day of our winter holidays is named—Jesus Christ of Nazareth—the soul of Christmas!

When a difficult “adventure” befalls one, Precious Believer, it is the believer’s great guarantee from God that she/he can seek and will find great rewards, solutions and benefits in Him, even if not immediately or even quickly, or exactly in the form she/he may desire. Guaranteed also, until then, ah . . . until then, the pain will act like brine on tough meat, tenderizing the believer, a precious outcome.

Unfair, one may say, I don’t want to undergo any painful improvement process! And yes, a painful self-improvement process is rarely highly desirable on anyone’s list. Think of how physical fitness buffs constantly have to psych themselves up to their efforts with the phrase “no pain, no gain” in order to sustain their formidable disciplines. They know the cost of self-improvement and embrace it.

But well-remember, Gentle Reader, the benefit of self-improvement processes is real and a great reward in itself.

Consider these examples: For believers, there is, as mentioned, the tenderizing benefit, and beyond that, there are the benefits of training in stick-to-it-tiveness, training in reliance upon and gracious acceptance of God’s often mysterious but always good will and ways, training in the practice of conscious belief in promised rewards in Jesus the Christ. All are self-improvements well worth the adventure; all are treasures to the believer and only grow more so as time goes by.

So already, in just these few examples above, one can see lasting good emerging from evil, even painful, situations and circumstances. And one can also see perhaps that, indeed, these are fine rewards, precious rewards, better than ever rewards! And that they are rewards well worth the effort.

Thanks be to God!

To be continued . . .