The Trained Eye of Hope

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." Hebrews 11: 1-2

Have you ever noticed that when you start shopping for cars, the ones you've got your eye on seem to pop up everywhere you go?

Lately, my husband and I have been discussing new cars since both of our vehicles are over ten years old and needing repairs that cost more than their value. His truck has higher mileage and since he travels more it's the first vehicle that we'll replace. He's done his research and narrowed down the type of truck he wants to at least three makes and models. Now, we see tons of them everywhere we go! He loves to announce when one of those models is gaining on us in his rear view mirror so I can check it out! Of course I "Ooooh and ahhhhh" over them as they pass and for certain, he has some sort of critique. "The cab is too small" or "That truck bed is too big" and of course, "There it is! That's the truck!"

We all know it's not that those trucks magically appear just because he desires them but that my husband has trained his eyes to be aware of them. It's like that with us and God too, isn't it? I mean God is always around us but we don't always see him because we're not looking for him. But, if we desire him more, we can train our spiritual eyes to see where he is all the time.

Hebrews 11 recaps stories of faith from the Old Testament. Each person from Noah to Enoch and Joseph portrayed great faith in God that what they hoped for, desired, trusted God for would come to fruition. They couldn't necessarily see the outcome of their desires but they trained their eyes to see where God was and kept moving forward. They kept believing, desiring, trusting that what God had promised them would some day become a reality. They had hope.