Trials

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, – Hebrews 11:39 ESV

Greek
ἐκομίσαντο/ekomisanto: to carry off; to provide for

Why It Matters
In 2016 Wayne Williams kept a 50-year-old promise he had made to his dad. Growing up a Cubs fan in the 1960s, Wayne and his father made a pact that wherever they were when the Cubs finally went to the World Series, they would drop everything and listen to their favorite team together. When it finally happened, Wayne traveled from his home in North Carolina to the neighborhood where he grew up in Indiana. Sadly, Wayne’s father had passed away in 1980, never having seen the Cubs in the Fall Classic. However, wanting to keep his promise, Wayne listened to every game of that series from a lawn chair beside his father’s grave.
There are moments when life looks far different than we ever hoped or expected it would. Sickness, death, injustice, and relationship issues are all examples of broken dreams that make it feel as though God is unfair or unkind. And if we’re not careful, this disappointment could lead to the perception that you will never ekomisanto (carry off or take with you) any promises from God that he doesn’t want to keep. If our verse today is misinterpreted it could be taken as proof that God isn’t interested in being a promise keeper. But the word ekomisanto reveals that through their faith, these heroes foresaw God fulfilling His promises to them, even if they wouldn’t live to carry them off themselves. What a thought! Faith reminds us that we can trust God to keep his promises however he chooses to fulfill them, even if that’s beyond our timetable or scope of understanding. We can do this with confidence, knowing that the good promises of our good God will be worth carrying off with us in whatever form they take.

Prayer
I’m so thankful, Lord, for the way you take the trials of my life and use them for something bigger than myself. Please allow the difficulties I face to bring me closer to you and the hope your presence brings, In Jesus’ name!

Application
When will I take time to redefine a current difficulty?