Hebrews 11:39-40

New International Version (NIV)

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

For Meditation

We sat patiently on the tarmac, and huge aircraft with a few seats to be filled. My mind was all over my family back home, and I couldn’t wait to see them after a long separation. Memories heightened my anticipation; but, we had to wait. After some time, I got a little uncomfortable and irritated; but there was nothing I could do about it. The captain’s voice announced the reason for our delay. Our flight was delayed for an incoming flight, and we had to wait for some passengers on it. The empty seats had to be filled by them; so, we had to wait!

I am sure many of you have had similar experiences before. The waiting period may have been very uncomfortable, and you wished you could instruct the captain to take off and leave the delayed passengers behind. Maybe you had a conference or business meeting you couldn’t miss. It may have been a new born baby you were going home to meet for the first time, a family reunion, or a dream vacation come true. Yet, you had to wait; for without those passengers, your flight was going nowhere! You were not alone in that situation. You observed some notable government officials, many accomplished business executives, and other dignitaries in their first class seats who were also caught up in the same situation. “Those passengers we are waiting for may be extremely important and very privileged,” you told yourself.

Sometimes, we forget how privileged we are this way in Christ!

1. Can you imagine Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Daniel, and all the Old Testaments saints, waiting for you before they are ushered into the everlasting Presence of the Most High to receive their ultimate inheritance?
2. Are you not glad that Grace has boarded you on Salvation flight 101 (Eph. 2:8-9), to join Resurrection flight 102 into eternity with Captain Jesus (1 Thess. 4:16-18)?
3. Do you know that those illustrious saints in Hebrews’ Hall of Faith, are going nowhere until your arrival on the Salvation flight (Heb. 11:39-40)?
4. Can you imagine for a second, stepping on board Resurrection flight 102, with those saints seated and patiently waiting for you?
5. Can you hear the spontaneous applause that will welcome you, the ovation that you made it, and their relief that the waiting is over?

I pray you will meditate on this scripture and allow it to encourage you through the turbulence along the way.

So: May your faith be steadied by the faithful promise of Christ to rapture you on board Resurrection flight 102; and may the knowledge that Abraham can’t be perfected before your arrival, encourage you through every storm you may encounter in life.

In Christ, you are important enough to keep Abraham waiting before perfection comes.

Shalom