Our faith, though imperfect, is still a faith that can endure and overcome any circumstance of persecution or opposition because of who Jesus is and the eternal hope He has provided for us. We join those who have gone before us as those who know we have something better in Christ than anything this world can offer or take away.

The author of Hebrews invites us to choose a life of faith over a life of sight, even when faith is costly. Faith can lead to extraordinary outcomes, both in the immediate and long-term, while a life of sight often leads to destruction. Biblical community among followers of Jesus is vital in supporting and encouraging one another in this life of faith.

As a people of faith, we know that fear will inevitably find its way into our lives. However, this passage reminds us that we can still walk by faith when we are rooted in the One who authors it, strengthened through an abiding relationship with Jesus, and focused on the eternal reward that awaits us in Him.

Living by faith means that we don’t look to our present circumstances to determine God’s faithfulness. Rather as people of faith, we live by a present active response to the object of our trust: Jesus. In Christ, we can say, “I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered.” That’s why we trust him.

As the people of God, we have found ourselves living as exiles in a strange land. A land of death, darkness, and destruction. But Hebrews 11 reminds us that we live today by faith—seeking the City that God has prepared for us—an eternal city, an eternal home found in the presence of God.

Abraham obeyed God’s call to leave his home, trusting in a future inheritance he couldn’t see. Sarah, despite her age, received the power to conceive, considering God faithful to His promise. Their stories remind us that faith is a present action response to God’s calling, supported by community and nourished by past evidence. Even in times of difficulty or waiting, we’re encouraged to cling to our hope in Jesus, knowing that God remains faithful and uses our trials to produce steadfastness and character in us.

We are counted righteous and commended for belief in Christ alone, but that belief is always revealed in action. The examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah show us that faith involves trusting in God’s character and promises, even when circumstances seem challenging or illogical. Such faith in God’s goodness and promises provide us the freedom to live in obedience.

Faith is not just about one’s own strength to cling to Jesus but about trusting in the strength of Jesus to hold believers secure. The author to the Hebrews encourages them and us to cling to Jesus amidst persecution, who will never fail them, rather than relying on their own ability.

Here at Mosaic in 2025, we want to be a people who embody our values— all under the aim of seeing “one more life” reached and transformed by the gospel. Just as Desmond Doss courageously saved “just one more” soldier, we step forward in faith, believing a long obedience in the same direction can make eternal change. Like climbing Kilimanjaro, our journey requires perseverance, but we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to take each small step. This year, we trust God to work through us as we live on mission, one step and one life at a time.

The Scriptures provide us the choice between a wide, easy path leading to death and a narrow, difficult path leading to life. In Christ, by the power of the Spirit, we can walk the journey of the well-worn narrow path by engaging in rhythms of intimacy like solitude, prayer, and studying scripture in community to cultivate a deeper relationship with God, leading to the abundant life filled with joy, peace, and purpose.