DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Hebrews 11:8, 11-16
(01/06 or 01/19)
Friday of the Thirtieth Week after Pentecost
Desire What is Worthy: Hebrews 11:8, 11-16, especially
vs. 16: “But now they desire
a better, that is, a heavenly country....” In
a homily, of Saint John Chrysostom urges that we “...make our souls a
heaven.” That seems to be a
most worthy desire for our souls, but take care to know what Saint John means
by the phrase. Study this Hebrews
passage and search out his meaning.
Then, as we see the Archbishop’s point, may we labor to make our
souls a heaven ‘as he urges.’
Foremost, the making of one’s soul a heaven depends
on trust in God (vss. 8,11). We must act like Abraham did, by obeying
God. We have to choose to obey
Christ our Savior. Faith is only
slightly a matter of mind and emotions.
Mostly it is complying, even if we do not understand and have
doubts, even if we do not especially feel like doing what the Lord asks.
Observe: faith definitely entails risks and
uncertainty. Nevertheless, to trust
and obey God certainly is the essence of faith. Imagine Sarah’s doubts! She gave her maid Hagar to Abraham that
he might have an heir (see Gn. 16:1-4), being resigned to childlessness since
she was past the age of childbearing (Heb. 11:11). Thus, the promise of God made her laugh
(Gn. 18:12). However, when she was
challenged, like Abraham, she took strength from the One Who promised and
“...received strength to conceive seed” (Heb. 11:11).
In Abraham’s case, the call of God was to leave the
familiar, withdraw from the place where he was comfortably settled, and go
“...out, not knowing where he was going” (vs. 8). Often, for me, obedience, means leaving
my place of comfort - as it did for Abraham, admitting that I am a stranger and
pilgrim on the earth (vs. 13), and cutting my ties with the familiar.
If we settle on obeying God ‘above all else,’
then we can expect some interruptions to our comfort and pleasant
feelings. Concerning
‘spiritual disruption,’ Saint John Chrysostom says, “Let us
no longer continue on the earth...For to be and not to be on the earth is the
effect of moral disposition and choice.” Do you understand? To
“...make the soul a heaven” foremost is not looking back, but
primarily a matter of advancing into unknowns (Lk.
9:62).
Statistically, choosing an unknown future is likely to
entail abandoning creature-comforts, surrendering the familiar, and stepping
into the unexplored. Trusting and
obeying may well demand that we fast, persevere in prayer, read the Scriptures,
receive the Holy Mysteries, confess our sins, block anger and jealousy, yield
our natural yearning for comfort, set aside greed, and take up the practice of
virtue. These acts may turn out to
be ‘a mountain range’ to be struggled up and crossed over as a
stranger and a pilgrim (vs. 13).
Still, be encouraged to trust God with determination, to
accept moments of discomfort and longing for the ease from which we turned
aside. Yes, refuse to give up (vs.
15). For in the difficult moments
when you face the choices that come with faith and the struggle to go forward,
you will be declaring “...plainly that [you] seek a homeland” (vs.
14).
What is that ‘homeland’ through the rugged
hills, beyond the present struggle of obedience? It is a worthy, ‘heavenly
country,’ a city that God has prepared (v. 16) for those He calls. If we step out, then we are nearer to
God and to joy: God will be with us when we begin, as we journey, in the midst
of the struggle, and He is waiting on the other side. Journey and discover that He is the
‘Best’ that we desire, the 'Motivation' within the struggle, and
the Heaven we truly are seeking in our hearts. Let David, the Prophet and Psalmist,
share a nugget of truth with you: “The Lord is nigh unto all that call
upon Him, to all that call on Him in truth” (Ps. 144:19).
O Lord our God, sanctify those who love the beauty of Thy
house, glorify them in recompense by Thy divine power, and forsake us not who
hope on Thee.
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