the old heroes

i think that it's so easy to forget that the people in the bible were real and alive and they woke up and cut their hair and sometimes felt sick and sometimes snapped and they had good friends and favourite places and foods they preferred.
and maybe there wasn't this 21st Century individualism and they definitely didn't keep blogs or make all their decisions based on what was most comfortable. i'm sure that culture directed a lot of what they expressed when and what they felt when too.

but when abraham believed God and picked up His life and moved across the 'world' he wasn't a robot. and when Moses had the Egyptians coming after him at the Red Sea (which was still an uncrossable sea) and the Israelites were saying "we're all about to die, why'd you bring us out of Egypt if we were just going to die" - he didn't just stand serenely and smile and wait. he had emotions rising up in him.
maybe in their important moments there was something special going on and they didn't have the same nerves i would. but despite all the emotions and thoughts to the contrary, for thousands of years all of them made a stand to trust God's promises.

the moment i feel opposed i want to give up.
it scares me to consider what would be written of me if i fit into the biblical narrative.
but i'm encouraged to venture toward the promised land in that same pattern of faith.
isaac did it, daniel did it, joshua did it, david did it, isaiah did it and thousands more beside.
that's hebrews eleven i guess. real guys living real life trusted God and i want to be one of them.