Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” — Hebrews 11:13–16 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

Hebrews 11 has often been called “The Roll Call of the Faithful.” Throughout the chapter, the writer highlights people who trusted God’s promises and ordered their lives accordingly. Yet, these verses do something especially important. They move beyond what the faithful did and reveal how they thought. They show us the mindset of those who live by faith and explain why believers often seem out of step with the world around them.

The faithful men and women of Hebrews 11 all died believing God’s promises, even though many of those promises were not fully realized during their earthly lives. They saw them from a distance. They welcomed them by faith. They lived with confidence that God would do exactly what He had said.

The writer tells us they openly acknowledged that they were “strangers and exiles on the earth.” They understood something that the world often forgets: this present life is not their ultimate home. They lived here, worked here, raised families here, and experienced both joys and sorrows here, but they never confused this temporary world with their eternal destination.

This perspective explains why believers often seem out of place in the culture around them. Their priorities are different. Their values are different. Their hopes are different. They see the things that captivate the world—wealth, fame, power, pleasure—and recognize that these things cannot satisfy the deepest longings of the soul. They can see the hook hidden beneath the bait. By God’s grace, their eyes have been opened to the temporary nature of earthly treasures.

People of faith are like a family preparing for a move. As the moving day approaches, they become less attached to the house they are leaving and more excited about the home that awaits them. In the same way, believers look forward to the heavenly country God has promised. They hold earthly possessions with open hands because they know everything here is temporary.

The writer points out that if these believers had been longing for the land they left behind, they could have returned. But they were not looking backward. Their hearts were fixed on something better. They desired a heavenly country where God’s rule is perfectly established, where sin is no more, and where every longing of the redeemed heart is fully satisfied.

What an amazing conclusion the passage gives us: “God is not ashamed to be called their God.” The Creator of the universe gladly identifies Himself with those who trust Him. Why? Because He has prepared a city for them. The heavenly homeland they long for is not imaginary. It is real. God Himself has prepared it.

Faith enables us to live in this world without becoming captive to it. It reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven and that the best is yet to come. The believer’s hope is not ultimately in what can be gained here, but in the glorious city God has prepared for His people.

Reflection Questions

1. In what ways do you see yourself becoming too attached to the temporary things of this world?
2. How does remembering that you are a “stranger and exile” on earth affect your priorities and daily decisions?
3. Are there areas where you find yourself looking back longingly at the world rather than looking forward to God’s promises?
4. How does the promise that God has prepared a heavenly city encourage you during seasons of disappointment or suffering?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for opening my eyes to the reality that this world is not my true home. Forgive me for the times I become overly attached to temporary things and lose sight of the eternal promises You have given. Help me to live as a faithful pilgrim, trusting Your Word and longing for the heavenly country You have prepared for Your people. Teach me to hold the things of this world loosely and to treasure Christ above all else. Thank You that You are not ashamed to be called my God and that through Your grace You have prepared a place for all who belong to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.