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    Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.
Hebrews 4:1-3 NASB
     Falling short of any goal is often a tragic event in our lives. Sometimes we struggle, toil, and strain, but we still cannot reach whatever objective we set for ourselves. Upon discovering such failure, we often sink into periods of self doubt and depression, wondering if we will ever be able to achieve any goal we set for ourselves again.
    The writer of Hebrews warns us of a similar struggle in our faith. Indeed, that very faith that was a free gift to us for the promise of heaven is a gift that the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh are constantly trying to rip from our grasp. Daily, these forces tempt us to the sin, doubt, frustration, and apathy that can lead us away from our God and our faith and down the path toward failure.
    God, however, knew this struggle, for He came and dwelt among us as a man, feeling our struggle Himself, so He provided us a way out through his Word and the Sacraments. Even more, not only does He give us these Means of Grace by which the Holy Spirit comes to us and strengthens us each day, but more over He places in our lives events and opportunities to act on the faith that comes to us by His gifts. By these acts, God strengthens us to struggle against the forces arrayed against us and our faith, so that, at the last, we will not fall short of the promised prize.
    The point here is that faith is not a static thing. It is a living, growing force of God’s grace within us, now chastising us for our wanderings, now encouraging us in our growth. When we act on that chastisement and encouragement, our faith is able to grow within us even more, strengthening us and bringing us closer to our God. This is the tight, winding road of faith; the journey of all Christians toward the prize of Heaven.
DLH
