Evening

November 18

Hebrews 11:6 ⁶And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

What does it take to please God? Faith! Remember that faith is described as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we can't see. Why is faith needed to please God? The passage answers, "because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

First we must believe He exists. Though we have mountains of evidence, it still takes faith to believe the unseen. God wants you to know He is real. That is the beginning of your spiritual journey. Somewhere along the road of life you began to consider that He was real and involved in your life. Our sinful nature will fight acknowledgment of this reality because it implies submission. If I accept the work of the Spirit in me and acknowledge that God is real, I owe a debt of gratitude to my Maker. Then I begin to realize I may not be living according to my gracious Maker's design. Just to begin believing that He exists starts a cycle of reconciliation and change in authority over my life.

Then the passage tells us that we need to believe that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. If we believe He exists but don't believe He rewards the ones who earnestly seek Him, we have misconstrued the loving relational nature of God. We have made Him out to be a dictator rather than a loving Father. Have you taken both steps, belief in His existence and His loving relational nature? Then you are pleasing God. If you are stuck on that journey, ask Him to show you where your attitude or understanding has gone off track. He wants to show you and to draw you into a personal, loving relationship.

Meditation: Can I say that I am earnestly seeking God?