But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. — Hebrews 11:16
If you read Hebrews 11, you read through some great names in the Bible. Often called the roll call of faith, these names are of people who expressed faith amid difficult circumstances and trials of life. They were not perfect. At times their faith may have been weaker than others. In the end, they were all people of faith.
Fast forward a few verses and we come to verse 16 where the writer had just reminded us that these people could have made the decision to walk way. They could have decided to go back to where they were from and their old ways. Instead, their faith led them to desire a “better country.” They were focused on Heaven, not the situation and circumstances around them.
So many times the things of this life can cause us to waiver in our walk with Christ. Perhaps we become so focused on the problems, rather than the one in control. We get so focused on the struggles, rather than the promise in the end. No matter the situation, we have to be reminded of a few things.
Once we became Christians, we are no longer who we used to be. We are essentially strangers in a foreign land. Our desires are turned toward God and the things of God, not the pleasures of this world. That can certainly cause a lot of chaos in life. It can cause a lot of strife with those who may not understand the new creature that we became.
We just need to focus on that better country. We may be living in this world, but our heart and longing should be for Heaven. We must realize that all the things we deal with and face in this world are temporary. The best part is still yet to come!
