TUESDAY October 31, 2023
The Heroes of the Faith
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34
Children today often read comic books and go see movies about superheroes. Spiderman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the Avengers are all hailed as superheroes. They stop the bad guys using superhuman feats and rescue people in harm’s way. Pajamas, bed sheets, pillowcases and blankets have printed pictures of children’s favorite characters. There are superhero toys, backpacks, lunch pails and drinking flasks. It is a superhero mania! But how many stories have children read about the many heroes found in the Bible?
Parents, read to your children about the heroes of faith. Even though they had their faults and weaknesses, God used them to do great exploits. Gideon was a humble man. He thought himself least among the tribes of Israel; but with only three hundred men, by faith, he defeated the Midianites––an army as numerous as locusts (Judges 7).
Barak was a man of war. With the encouragement of Deborah, a prophetess and Israel’s Judge, he defeated King Jabin and his captain Sisera. God intervened on Israel’s behalf. The very stars in the sky fought against Israel’s enemies (Judges 4-5). What of the well-known hero David? Just a shepherd boy with a sling and a stone, he killed Goliath, the notorious Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17).
Men plotted against Daniel, and he was placed in a lion’s den; miraculously, God shut the mouths of the lions, and he remained unharmed (Daniel 6). All these heroes have stories of faith that will influence your children. They will learn to trust God for their battles.
The Bible NEVER flatters its heroes. It tells us the truth about each one of them in order that against the background of human breakdown and failure we may magnify the grace of God and recognize that it is the delight of the Spirit of God to work upon the platform of human impossibilities.
~Alan Redpath~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
