In 1989 the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ was released. It was the third Indiana Jones movie and was set in 1938. In the film, Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) searches for his father (played by Sean Connery), who is a historian on a lifelong mission for the Holy Grail’. Indiana Jones’s father has been captured, and he is trying to rescue his father. However to rescue his father he has to find the ‘Holy Grail’ and to cut a long story short, there is a point in the film that requires him to take a leap of faith (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBBbq2g7yf8). Infront of Indiana is a cliff edge, the drop below would be fatal and if he looks ahead the edge beyond is impossible to jump too. He has a handwritten book in his hands, his father’ life work; a book of discoveries from history, in which is a picture of the situation in front of him called ‘the path of God’, that requires a leap of faith. The camera’s take you back to his injured father who says, “you must believe boy”. The leap of faith is a step into an apparent ‘abyss’, but once he takes the first step the path is revealed.

In the film the ingredients which underpin Indiana Jones’s ability to take the leap of faith are based around trust, in the writings within the book he was holding, because he knew the author. In addition, a willingness to take the first step, due to a hope of what lay ahead, both of which I see echoed in our reading today. Hebrews chapter 11 explores the meaning of faith and the journeys of people of faith in the Bible.  Verse one says: “Now faith is the assurance of the things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. In this first verse faith comes from our hope, assurance and conviction that grows from our lived experience of God in the world. God’s loving nature is revealed in multiple ways; in creation, through Jesus Christ, through the action of the Holy Spirit transforming lives and the Scriptures. Naturally, there is however a complexity to our faith in God, who is ultimately unseen. A complexity that brings us to the facet of faith, as Indiana Jones’s father said to him ’you must believe’. A belief that we see in all the faithful servants of God in this chapter and throughout the Scriptures, that having faith to act is rooted in a belief in God.

Reflecting on the faith of Abraham and Sarah as narrated in verses 8-16, their faith is nurtured through the lived experience of trusting God’s faithfulness in fulfilling promises made. If we look back to Genesis chapter 15, we see that Abram (name before God made a covenant with him and gave him the name Abraham Genesis 17:5), faith was nurtured through trust and action. This meant not letting fear stop them and taking the road ahead because God would be their shield (Genesis 15:1). What then do we need to do to nurture our faith in God, is a question to reflect on.

To nurture, speaks of fostering a way of living that cares, protects and allows to grow. As a physiotherapist I use to explain to my patients that ‘if you don’t use a muscle, you lose it’. Meaning that, action builds muscle strength, Indiana Jones had to take the first step to reveal the safe path to cross to the other side. Abraham and Sarah had to trust in God’s promises in an active way, that involved action for both Abraham and Sarah. Our faith grows when we spend time with God, reading the scriptures, in prayer, in community with fellow Christian’s, through looking at the wonder of God’s creation and many other ways. In reverse our faith lessens when we distance ourselves from God and when we don’t take the ‘leap of faith’ to trust God’s faithfulness. Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you.”. Nurturing our faith in God, reveals God’s faithfulness, as we trust, taking one step at a time. Amen