Life is enjoyable because God meant it to be. Life here on earth is but a short period meant to prepare us for what's going to come when Christ returns. It's meant to build up our faith, grow our character, and prepare us to be the people that God wants us to become.
Having this perspective in life, we can be sure that life will be very exciting and enjoyable, no matter what happens. Regardless of trials and challenges, we can still say, in faith, that life is enjoyable.
Do you want to enjoy the rest of your life, even before it happens? Here are a few lessons we can learn from the people mentioned in the Hebrews 11, the hall of faith.
1. We all need to live in faith
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) says, "Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see." Faith is the requirement for all of us to enjoy what lies ahead, even though we are still uncertain of the many details that may come.
By faith we are assured that no matter what may come, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. No one could snatch us out of His hands. Nothing could take us away from Him. By faith, we know we are that secure.
2. Realise that our reward is God Himself
Hebrews 11 lists for us the many people along the ages who, by faith, obeyed God. Though many of them seemed to have done small things –like Abel sacrificing sheep, Enoch simply "walking with God," Jacob worshiping as he bowed on his staff — these actions were done in obedient faith, and were thus rewarded handsomely.
We all know that Abel's sacrifice was accepted, and that even in death he still speaks to God. We read that Enoch "walked with God, and he was not, for God took him" (Genesis 5:24). We know that Jacob became Israel, the father of the 12 tribes, and the man that became a nation from whom the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, was born.
3. Look forward to what God has prepared for us
Hebrews 11:13 tells us that all of these people in the hall of faith did not receive the promises given to them, but by faith they saw it coming true from afar, and were joyful because of it. Because of this, friends, we realise that we really don't need to "have it all" here on earth. We simply need to have God, live in faith in Him, and seek after Him and His heavenly dwelling, where we all hope to be headed.
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."(Hebrews 11:13-16)
