Meditating on the faith family history

Walking the halls of faith (Hebrews 11) in my imagination and visualizing a museum of verbal portraits, I meditated on the lives of my faithful forefathers.

1 Timothy 1:4 labels them a waste of time, calling them endless.  But genealogies were effective in proving Jesus from the kingly line of David, the faith filled ancestry of Abraham, crossing the flood to Adam and ultimately to God himself including four women:  Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba. 

The list of faith-filled men and women of Hebrews 11 becomes the great cloud of witnesses of Hebrews 12:1-2.  For the faithful of today, their stories spur us on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). They walked by faith and died before they inherited the promises we enjoy as believers today.  They looked to a future redemption.  We look at the cross in our rear-view mirrors. Thinking of my own faith lineage, the list is replete with:  Sunday school teachers, pastors, brothers and sisters in Christ, missionaries, hymn writers, Bible translators, authors who influenced my faith trajectory and others who provided the means for publication. 

Some today are considering dropping the word “church” from their brand.  They want to be more relevant by changing the focus from Bible study, prayer, sermons and worship to walking in the countryside hoping to attract more participants and make use of the buildings and grounds they own.  Wonder what Jesus might have to say about that!  He said, upon this rock (of revealed and spoken faith), I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  Wonder if they had spent some of that money on outreach: feeding the hungry, sharing the good news of the gospel, caring for widows and fatherless, the sick or imprisoned, if they would have found themselves at this crossroads of faith.

By contrast, after years of drought of hearing the word of the Lord preached in public places and displays of faith being removed from the public arena, impromptu worship services are held in NYC’s Central Park and in the aisles of Walmart and malls. Ocean baptism has sprung into public view. Revivals have been breaking out in colleges.  Sinners are being called to account because of their ungodly actions, subterfuge in high places, rampant lying, sexual immorality, lack of honor and respect to those to whom it is due including police officers. There’s a rustling of dry bones, a sound of regeneration, the sound of a rushing mighty wind.  How soon will we hear the trumpet of God sounding and the upward call, Come up here.  Will we disappear having walked the narrow way? Will we wear the crown of righteousness promised to those who love his appearing? (2 Timothy 4:8)  Are we lukewarm (Revelation 3:16) or on fire for the Lord?  

Some say this season of Rosh Hoshana 2025 will not be repeated for a very long time. Will the 100 blasts from the shofars be the announcement of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and Matthew 25, “behold the bridegroom cometh.” Will we be ready?  Will our lamps be trimmed and burning (Matthew 25:7)?  Or will we be among those of 2 Peter 3:4 saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation:  wars, rumors of war, eruptions, floods, earthquakes (tsunamis) in diverse places.  The fig tree has put forth her branches and is blossoming.  Was Luke (12:54-56) right when he wrote Jesus’ perspective, you look at the sky and say, looks like it’s gonna rain but can you discern the signs of the times?  It was that way before Noah and his family, eight persons, and the animals entered the ark and God shut the door.  Shall we work for the night is coming when no man can work (John 9:4) or will we still be begging, wait a little longer please Jesus, a few more days to get our loved ones in. 

(Cathy Bayert is pastor of Greybull First Baptist Church.)