Hebrews 11:23-28 (NRSV)
By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter,choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
The author (likely not Paul) of the letter to the Hebrews wrote with a complex Christology (Christ as both High Priest and sacrifice) and knew how to turn a phrase. The image of "The great cloud of witnesses" comes from the letter to the Hebrews, and here, with the repetition of Moses' acts of faith, the words embolden and exhort the original readers and us to persevere.
How does faith do this? I think perhaps that faith itself is as mysterious as the author's Christology. One of the least helpful phrases I've ever heard from someone is "have more faith" as if rationally we can decide to do so.
We don't need to have more faith. Faith, even the "size of a mustard seed "Jesus tells us, is capable of amazing things. I've seen folks wracked with doubt persevere under terrible conditions.
I think the point IS that faith is mysterious. Faith is not reason. It isn't logical. It is nebulous. It moves the mountains in our lives and is what gets us up in the morning when everything in us wants to stay in bed and pull the covers over our head because the day isn't one we want to face.
Good and gracious God, thank you for the gift of faith. Help that faith pull me forward when everything in my reason tells me that I should stay put! Amen.
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