“History is important”

February 11, 2008
Monday

Hebrews 11

One of the first places we visited when we began our tour of Turkey was the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Within its walls were items that went back thousands of years. There were the oldest examples of writing found in the area, a mirror made not with reflective glass but polished metal in which it was hard to see clearly, and lots of jewelry, jugs, and coins of the region. Each one tells a story, and opens a window into the past.
Today’s reading from Hebrews takes us on a journey of all of those who have gone before us. It is a history lesson of those called by God and their reaction. If we choose to take those names back into the Old Testament, we can learn even more about the history of our faith.
Did you know that you are making history? That at some point, someone is going to look back over your life and see what you’ve done? How exciting! How scary! Unless of course we live our lives as those described in today’s reading, “By faith”.
What if with each decision or action we take today we put the words “by faith” in front of it? Would it change how we do things? Would it affirm our decisions? Does it bring new meaning to them? Do you like the window it opens to your faith? In this season of Lent these are questions not to be considered but rather acted upon.