Whole

"All these attested, faithful people did not receive the promise," Hebrews 11:39.

Who didn't get God's promise? Are they the bad guys? No. These are the good guys: people who believed God: they subdued kingdoms, worked to live right, closed lions' mouths, put out fires, survived battles, found strength, became war heroes, fought off alien armies, came back to life. O, yeah! But. Others of these same faithful people were tortured, mocked, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, cut in two, tempted, in cast off clothing, destitute, sick, treated badly, homeless, wandering about, living in caves. And why? Why didn't any of these get God's promise? Because God waited until you got here. So that they would not be made whole without you. Without me. That apart from us they should not be made perfect. By faith.

With a brother or sister today we marvel humbly at our God's long purpose, that he should include us all in his kingdom. And, together, we give thanks to God for Jesus' perfected and perfecting work.