The problem of “twoness,” the gap between what we long for and the reality of the world we live in, defines our walk of faith. Unlike the hero who returns victorious, the Hebrews’ journey ends in paradox. Abraham, Joseph, and David all received divine promises but faced delays, exile, and suffering. Hebrews 11:13 reminds us: “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” Although these Hebrew heroes died in faith without receiving what was promised, they pressed on toward “a city whose builder and maker is God.” (v.16) These heroes illustrate the kingdom perspective we must embrace as ambassadors of that kingdom.
Amid the fog of unfulfilled hopes, we “see through a glass darkly” (1 Cor 13:12), often unable to trace God’s hand until, suddenly, the tangled threads reveal a tapestry of redemption. Faith involves walking toward unseen realities, trusting that at the end of history, God will resolve every contradiction. As Paul assures us, “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor 4:17).
