“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, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” Hebrews 11:13

The text in Hebrews 11 shows that people can await promises they do not yet receive on this earth. God promises Abraham a country, and He goes to it by faith, and he never receives it in his lifetime (on earth). Only after he is dead and in heaven, do his ancestors receive it.

And so it happened or happens more often. Martin Luther King had a vision of equality for men and women of all races. He did not see it (fully) happen in his life.

Now the one thing all the people in Hebrews 11 were waiting for, the promised Messiah, Jesus, we have received. And we have been given all things in Him. He is all we need. He is amazing.

Meanwhile however, we can wait for promises of healing, reconciliation and restoration here on this earth. Some of these promises we may not yet receive in the here and now, but in heaven: in the new heaven and earth.

And so we can continue by faith, having “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1), but knowing that we have already the greatest riches. If we are connected to Jesus (in Him), we can experience His love, forgiveness and hope always. This connection with Jesus will be even purer and better in heaven, but we already have that now.