October 27

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." —HES. xi. 1, 2.

FAITH beholds the invisible. It is the proving of things not seen. It brings the great realities of the spiritual world within my ken: God, in His glory; Christ, in His beauty and love; sin, in its deformity; holiness, in its excellence; the judgment to come; eternity, so blessed or so sad. It gives me a firm persuasion of them. It invests them with a transforming influence over my heart. I look out, with this eye behind the bodily eye, and I find myself in their midst.

And faith grasps the unattained. It is the assurance of things hoped for. It changes the blessings I desire from shadows into actualities. It sets them before me so clearly that, though they are still in the future, they seem to be present to me. Increase of grace, perseverance to the end, an unstinged death, a glorious resurrection: there is the inheritance which faith makes mine. I am as certain that I shall be dowered with it, in its breadth and length and depth and height, as though already I had taken possession of the good land.

And faith confers an honourable degree. Therein the elders had witness borne to them. It enabled them to adventure and to endure. It was the shield with which they conquered. It is the diadem which sparkles on their brows. From Abel to Samuel and David and the Prophets, it was faith which stablished and strengthened and perfected them. Without it, they had been weak as other men; with it, they subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Let me covet like precious faith.