All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
(Heb. 11:13-16, NIV)
This is part of the popular "Faith Hall of Fame" in Hebrews 11. Right in the middle of his discussion of Abraham and Sarah, though, the author goes on an excursus about the result of faith. The reason these people are presented as examples of the faith because they held fast to the faith until they died, even though they didn't see the desired results. From their perspective, God was not faithful, because they were faithful to the end but God did not fulfill the promises.
They did see the promises and welcome them from a distance, though. Despite the fact that these faithful women and men did not yet see the reward for their faith, they knew that God would fulfill his promises if only they held on. Whether they saw the outcome of their faithfulness or not, these people kept on "living by faith" until they died, spotting the promises on the far horizon.
Why did those people hold on? If we are supposed to hold on even in the face of exhaustion, pain, and burnout, it might be helpful to know why other people in similar situations have held on. These exemplars held firm because they knew that they were "aliens and strangers in this world." If this world doesn't turn out how you want it to all the time, don't give up - this world (as it is now) isn't built for us anyway. Even if we don't see the promises, we must hold fast - we are aliens and exiles in this world.
People who see things this way show that they are looking for a home to hold on to.
People who hold firm to the faith in spite of the way things look because they understand that this world is passing away show that they have a firm ledge to grab hold of. Even though we feel like we are hanging on by the skin of our teeth, we are hanging onto a firm and secure ledge.
You can let go if you want to, says the author, but if you hold on you will be rewarded in the end. The ledge we hold onto is the doorsill of the heavenly city God has prepared for us. Let us endure, even when do not see the promises fulfilled.
Blessings,
Greg and Tiffany
