
Return to the Lord
Come Let us return to the Lord The call is to all believers to return to the Lord. This is a prayer that trusts the
Hebrews 11, the “Hall of Faith”, is a tour through some of the great feats of courage, strength, and miraculous intervention in the history of man, and comprises, in part, the “Cloud of Witnesses” referred to in Hebrews 12. The chapter reads like a tour through history with the guide pointing out the key moments and adding some personal commentary. The tour through the Hall of Faith, however, is not just for the sake of admiring, it is intended to lead us to a conclusion. That conclusion is Hebrews 12, which begins “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…”.
In this recitation, Beth serves as the tour guide through the Hall of Faith and twelve additional reciters provide the details about each of the acts of faith.
Beth’s heartfelt exhortation when she reaches chapter 12 is that the consequence of our being surrounded by so many faithful is that we, ourselves, should “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” Each reciter brings their personal perspective to the act of faith that they describe, and they move to physically, as well as conceptually, surround the congregation. The variety of voices in this recitation, this “Hall of Faith,” reminds us how full of life and complexity the lives and lessons of the characters provide, that the tapestry of the Cloud of Witnesses is rich. By verse thirty-two, you hear our tour guide realize that the list is too extensive to cover each in detail, and so she summarizes, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised;”
You, too, can recite Scripture. The script for this recitation is available at https://byHeart.org for free download so you can do the recitation at your church. Group recitations like this one are a wonderful opportunity to bring a diverse group of people together under a common cause and so develop new relationships.Use the By Heart recitation script: Hebrews 11:1-12:3 and gather your team. See our other By Heart recitation videos such as 1 Peter 1:1-25.
Read it for yourself at Hebrews 11:1-12:3 on Bible Gateway
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The mission of the By Heart ministry is to promote Scripture recitation so that it becomes a natural part of Christian worship services, discipleship programs, and outreach. By Heart is intended to promote and be a clearinghouse for resources, techniques, and encouragement regarding Scripture recitation.
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