• Noah, once surrounded by wickedness, gets a fresh start with his family.
• At 75 and childless, Abraham is promised a son... born 25 years later.
• Joseph, sold into slavery eventually becomes 2nd only to Pharaoh.
• Israelites, no longer slaves, cross the Red Sea on dry land.
• Gideon, living under crushing oppression, is given victory with only 300 soldiers.
• Hannah, barren & heartbroken, is given a son who becomes one of God’s greatest leaders.
• David, doggedly pursued by Saul, is established as king of Israel in due time.
• Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego face foreign captivity, but are soon given positions of authority and prominence.
• The Samaritan woman has a rough history, but then meets Jesus her Creator.
• Lazarus, dies in poverty, but is carried by angels to Abraham and comforted.
• The apostles see Jesus crucified, but then see the empty tomb on the third day.

BOOM! That empty tomb shows us that God is not finished bringing his people through hard times. Those above kept the faith. We would do well to follow their example.