God Unashamed - January 2,
2001
"Instead, they were longing for a better country--a
heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called
their God, for he has prepared a city for them." -
Hebrews 11:16
This verse is from the middle of the "Hall of Faith"
in Hebrews 11 where men and women who showed great faith
in Old Testament times are listed. If you aren't familiar
with this chapter, take some time to read the whole
thing. It is very encouraging to see how God used
ordinary people who put their trust in Him. On my latest
trip through this section, the middle of verse 16 stuck
out to me. Throughout the Bible and especially in the Old
Testament, God is referred to as the 'God of Abraham' or
the 'God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob'. These were the
fathers of the Jewish nation and first recipients of
God's promise to His chosen people. They deserve our
respect and it is no surprise to see their names
associated with God. But in verse 16 the tables are
turned and we get a glimpse from God's perspective. Did
you catch it? It says God is not ashamed to be called
their God. We talk often of how we are not ashamed to be
called Christians and we want the world to see that we
are not ashamed of God, but have you ever stopped to
wonder if God is ashamed of us? More to the point, do you
think God is ashamed to be called the God of your name
here?
I doubt if a day goes by that I don't do something to
make God hang His head in shame, but Hebrews 11 works
here too. You see, those Faith Hall of Famers weren't
perfect either. They messed up over and over again just
like you and me, and yet God wasn't ashamed of them. Why?
Because the overriding theme of their lives was faith.
They loved God and trusted that He would do what was best
for them. Though their focus sometimes drifted, in the
end they put God in first place.
Now is the beginning of a new year and a perfect time
to renew and realign your steps with Christ. This year I
challenge you to live a life that honors God, reflecting
His light to the world every day. And maybe, if you
listen very carefully, you'll hear a heavenly voice say,
"I am not ashamed to be called ... the God of you."
