Dear church,

“His eye was undimmed.” The faith of a disciple of Jesus Christ never fades. Even with his last breath, the disciple still is proclaiming the goodness and promises of God. He is content with what God gives him, and he is content with what God declines to give. 

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Moses had seen so much of God’s good plan for Israel. But he had not seen the people reach the finish line. He had not seen the climax of God’s work in Egypt and in the wilderness. He saw every mile of the Promised Land, but he never saw the people wade into the Jordan River, taking those final steps toward Canaan. After 40 long years, Moses remained as one “not having received the things promised” (Hebrews 11:13).

But his eye was “undimmed.” And so must be ours. We remain faithful to God even when disappointments and unfulfilled hopes bear down on us. Faith is knowing God is in control and his plan is good even when we can’t quite “see” all the way to the end of it. You will see sadness in life, and circumstances you wish were otherwise. The disciple of Jesus accepts these things and continues looking with hopeful expectation for the promises of God.

Chris