Apr 25, 2026 Devotions

Surrounded by Witnesses

Because faith, in Scripture, is not about certainty of outcomes… It is about allegiance to God in the midst of the unknown.

Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith.” However, that title can be easily misunderstood.

This chapter is not about spiritual heroes who mastered life through extraordinary belief. It is a testimony—a witness—of ordinary people who lived in loyal alignment with God in the middle of uncertainty, suffering, delay, and even failure.

Some were delivered.
Others were not.

Some saw promises fulfilled.
Others died still waiting.

Yet all are called faithful.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” — Hebrews 12:1

The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews is not giving us a formula for success. Rather, he is showing us what it looks like to live anchored to God’s reality when life and the world around us tell a different story.

This series (published daily) will walk through each of these witnesses—not to idealize them, but to understand them and why the author of Hebrews chose to include them:

in their original context
in their cultural world
in their struggles and tensions

Because faith, in Scripture, is not about certainty of outcomes…

It is about allegiance to God in the midst of the unknown.

And as we listen closely, we may discover:

👉 they are not just examples to admire…
👉 they are voices still speaking to you and to me.

Over the next several days, we're going to look at these witnesses and discover why they are included, especially since at least a few were chosen questionably—at least until we look more closely at their testimonies.

Take some time to read through Hebrews chapter 11 in preparation for this really interesting series.

Prayer

Father, sometimes it's easy to skim through scriptures while reading each day, not taking the time to dig deeper. We read what the Word says, but we often don't stop to look for more details. While we embark on this study series, open our eyes to see Your truth. Prepare our hearts to learn more about You and Your steadfast love for us. In Jesus' name, amen!

“Sit often under the influence of God’s Word.”🌻
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