Sending our youngest son back to his USMC base in Hawaii was a step of faith for us, trusting God to take care of him as he prepares for a deployment to Iraq.    Before his departure, we spent an evening looking at all of the pictures we took during these past weeks while he was with us.   Road trips, bowling, skiing, doing ministry, and just hanging out together playing games and watching movies were activities rich with special moments.     The beauty of digital pictures is the opportunity to recapture snapshots of wonderful memories built.    There was laughter and moments of misty eyes.   Saying goodbye was a snapshot of faith.

After defining faith, the writer of  Hebrews 11 offers a series of snapshots with  people of faith.  These examples  of the past build  faith for today and hope for the future.

We can’t wait to be with our son again, and the pictures are very special because they remind us of our relationship.  They are more than pictures, they represent 3-D memories grounded in loving family bonds.   And so the Scriptures are full of  reminders of our relationship with the Living God.    He gives us snapshots of the past which build faith for today and hope for the future.   We can’t wait to see our son again, but even more is the anticipation and certain hope of being in the presence of the SON, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with whom we are actively building memories as we serve Him and get to know Him.

Consider the words which follow the faith chapter of Hebrews 11…

Heb 12:1-2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.   Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

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