Does Your Heart Sing?

Our pastor has been preaching on faith out of Hebrews 11,
that great chapter of faith. From verse 32 on the author
does a wide sweep:
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel--
through faith they conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, 
obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched 
the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, 
were made strong out of weakness. 
(Others were destitute, afflicted, mistreated.) Of particular
note, all those who are in the hall of faith failed in some
way--some fell into really big sin! What set them apart in
God's eyes? They believed God!

Hebrews 12 opens with a 'therefore.'
'Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a 
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, 
and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with 
endurance, the race that is set before us, looking to 
Jesus the founder and the perfecter of our faith...

Oh, reader, do not allow the enemy to tell you that you
have failed God and He now has cast you aside. Your
position in Christ is secure. Return to the Lover of your
soul, be restored. Your heart will sing again!