About seven hundred emperor penguins in West Antarctica, only six months old, huddled together at the edge of a towering icy cliff fifty feet above the frigid water. Finally one penguin leaned forward and took “a leap of faith,” diving into the icy water below and swimming away. Soon scores of penguins took the plunge.
Young penguins typically jump just a couple of feet into the water for their first swim. This group’s death-defying leap was the first to be caught on camera.
Some people would say that the blind leap into the unknown by those penguins is similar to what happens when a person trusts in Jesus for salvation. However, faith in Him is just the opposite. The author of Hebrews said, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
Enoch’s faith pleased God: “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (v. 6). The world hadn’t seen anything like the great flood, and yet Noah “in holy fear built an ark to save his family” (v. 7) because he trusted in God. By faith Abraham followed God “even though he did not know where he was going” (v. 8).
When we first put our trust in Jesus, it’s by faith. As we continue following Him and our faith is tested, we can remember how God came through for these men. Even when we don’t know the whys and hows, we can trust God with the outcome.
When has your faith resulted in God’s hand of protection? How do you see God working in your life because of your faith in Him?
Dear Jesus, thank You for being so faithful.
Jewish believers in Jesus suffered under severe persecution and were at risk of reverting back to Judaism. The author of Hebrews wrote to encourage them to live by faith and to persevere, for the “righteous ones will live by faith” (10:38 nlt). Here in Hebrews 11’s “Hall of Faith,” he gives examples of many people who had lived by faith (vv. 4-38) and shows what unwavering faith looks like (see vv. 39-40). He uses the phrase “by faith” more than twenty times in this chapter to emphasize that this is the only way to please God “because anyone who comes to [God] must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (v. 6). In love, He also disciplines His children for their good.
