There's a long list in the 11th chapter of Hebrews that recalls the heroes of Hebrew Testament faith - people such as Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Moses. Some saw a glimpse of the object of their faith - the reign of God - while others died still hopeful, but not satisfied.
I await the reign of God, too. I pray "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" and the way I get glimpses that this might be happening is from talking with people who see God working in their lives and reigning in their hearts.
That kind of dialogue is a far cry from the chit chat that passes for most of our conversations, I know, but without it, all of us are left with only our own personal experiences to shore up our faith in God's love. When we share deeply in the lives of others, though, God is seen to be always operating.
God reigns every time we look for guidance, follow an interior urging or reach out in love. Letting others know how God has played a part in our decisions and actions reminds us that the terrorism, evils and hostilities that we see will not be victorious and that love never fails.
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews defines faith as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." That's a lot easier if we see God operating in the lives of our friends, family and fellow worshippers. We all have a stake in each other's faith.
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