Circumstances

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Greek
ὑπόστασις/hypostasis: a setting under, i.e. concretely; support, steadiness

Why It Matters
In 1834, cabinet maker turned pastor Edward Mote wrote the Hymn “The Solid Rock.” The hymn is well known for its simple but profound refrain “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Mote first published this hymn under the title, “The Immutable Basis for a Sinner’s Hope,” a phrase that may be theologically accurate but doesn’t roll off the tongue very easily!
Mote’s hymn and our verse today take a cue from Jesus’ Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders in Matthew 7. The writer of Hebrews here gives us a great definition of faith from a Christian perspective – the hypostasis (setting under; support, steadiness) of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. This indicates that faith gives a solid foundation to our hope, like building a home on rock instead of sinking sand. But does the hypostasis of things hoped for derive from the amount of our faith? Definitely not! Thankfully, the hypostasis, or support of things hoped for, is derived from the object that our faith is directed toward. When our faith is placed in the finished work of Jesus, it’s like pouring a concrete foundation on which to build our lives. We don’t need to worry about our faith being robust enough to withstand the storms of life because our hypostasis is the gospel of Jesus! This is indeed good news because when Jesus becomes our foundation, we no longer have to be consumed with the question of whether we have enough hope. Jesus is our solid rock, and all other ground is sinking sand.

Prayer
God, my days belong to you, so please help me trust that you are orchestrating a redemptive story with them. Although I may not understand all you’re doing today, I have faith you can and will use them for your glory and my joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Application
What will I do today to seek God more diligently?