Devotional 02 August 2025

August 02, 2025 • Steve Torres

Hebrews 11:39-40.jpg

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets... And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus...” (Hebrews 11:32, 39–12:2, ESV)

The list ends in a flurry. Names and events tumble out in a final rush: Gideon, David, Samson, the prophets. By this point, the writer of Hebrews has made his point clear. The legacy of faith is vast, stretching across generations, marked by victories and sufferings alike. Some conquered kingdoms; others were sawed in two. And yet, all of them had this in common: they lived by faith, and they died still waiting.

Why? Because God had a greater plan. He was not content for the story to end with them. The fullness of His promise (the perfection of faith) could not be completed without us. “God had provided something better for us” (Hebrews 11:40). What the patriarchs saw from afar, we have seen up close: Christ crucified, risen, and reigning. We are not merely looking ahead, we are standing on the threshold of fulfillment.

So then, what now?

We are called to join the race. “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” (Hebrews 12:1). These witnesses do not merely observe us; they testify to the truth, that God is faithful, that faith is worth it, that endurance is possible. Their lives shout from the pages of Scripture, “Run!” Not aimlessly (1 Corinthians 9:24–27), not half-heartedly, but with your eyes fixed on the goal.

And the goal is not ultimately a crown or a city, it is a Person. “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2). He is not just our model, He is the one who made faith possible. He endured shame, rejection, and the cross itself, not just as a demonstration of obedience, but to bring you into this race. He is now seated at the right hand of God, interceding for you (Hebrews 7:25), reigning over every trial you face, and walking beside you in every step.

Today, you are part of something bigger than yourself. You have inherited a story centuries in the making. And it is not a story of human achievement, but of divine faithfulness.

Lay aside every weight. Strip off sin. Run light. Run free. Run with joy, not to earn what has already been given, but because you have seen what they only glimpsed: Christ, the hope of glory! (Romans 5:2, Colossians 1:27)