If you are a baseball lover, you will know that this weekend is a special weekend. Tomorrow, six legends of baseball will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Cooperstown was not far from where I grew up and I recall several visits to this beautiful section of Upstate New York, but the Hall of Fame never captured my attention until I met my husband.
My husband’s family can boast two hall-of-famers in their family. There is even a photograph of the original induction ceremony hanging in my home. Today, the Baseball Hall of Fame means more to me because of a personal connection.
As a believer, I am also connected to another hall of fame. The Faithful Hall of Fame as listed in Hebrews 11. This chapter of the Bible shares the stories and mentions a myriad of faithful followers of God from the Old Testament. This list includes the obvious (Noah, Abraham and Moses to name a few), but the author of Hebrews shares some of the faithful believers that we might not be so familiar with.
What about Enoch, Barak or Jephthah? How familiar are you with them? Or the prophets mentioned in Hebrews 11:52? And then there are nameless group who were flogged, chained, imprisoned, stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. This group is mentioned to have been destitute, persecuted, and mistreated. This group was found worthy to be part of this faithful hall of fame (Hebrews 11:2).
Of course, there should be a “next chapter” to this Faithful Hall of Fame list. The Apostles most certainly would be part of the faithful group. As well as people like Mary Magdalene, Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos, Timothy, Silas, John the Baptizer and so many more that could be mentioned.
There are also the nameless faithful of the New Testament. The tenth leper who returned to thank Jesus. The woman with a blood disorder who knew just touching the hem of Jesus’ garment would heal her. The Ethiopian Philip encountered. The Philippian jailer. The man of Macedonia in Paul’s vision. And I know there are countless more.
There are two key verses in Hebrews 11. Verse one tells us what faith is. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 – NIV)
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) tells us why faith is so important. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
What beautiful benefits we receive when our faith is placed in God. Hope. Assurance. Rewards. Personal relationship. Future. Purpose. Confidence. All because we’ve chosen to be faithful to the God of the past, present and future.
This connection that I have to the Baseball Hall of Fame is pretty cool. But the connection I have to the Faithful Hall of Fame is even better. We’ve read the same Author’s work (the Bible), we have grown in our personal relationship with the same God, and our faith in God has brought rich rewards. How blessed I am to be part of this hall of fame.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna