Hebrews 11:8
Hebrews 11 has been called “the hall of faith”—and for good reason. Beginning with one of the first people on earth, the author traces the essential quality of faith through Hebrew history, highlighting 10 great men and women. Abraham receives extended treatment as the writer follows his spiritual journey through its heights, down into its depths, and back up again. In a short space, Abraham is measured and found worthy of imitation.
The author begins his assessment of Abraham’s high points with these words: “It was by faith that Abraham...” The words “by faith” are the most important part of Abraham’s story. He responded based on belief—not because he could see what was ahead, not because he had a printout of what the future held, not because he could calculate a return on his investment for this venture. “By faith” means he willingly exchanged the known for the unknown—all because he trusted in God.
Great rewards await if you obey without knowing all the details. It’s a principle God wants each of His followers to experience. Learning to trust Him is like making a journey step after step. Faith builds upon faith. When we trust, we receive unexpected blessings. This strengthens our confidence and inspires us to trust God again as we take another step.
God wants us to grow in faith, not only because we need Him, but also because it’s good for us. It stretches us beyond our comfort zone. Way beyond. We need to know the experience of embarking on an endeavour we’ve never tried before. We need to know that, with His help, we can safely tackle any challenge and take the risk of getting in over our heads. We need to know that when God calls us to a task, He will give us what we need to succeed.
REFLECT
When has God called you to do something out of your comfort zone? What rewards and blessings come as a result?
Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. —Hebrews 6:15
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Excerpted from Charles R. Swindoll, Faith for the Journey: Daily Meditations on Courageous Trust in God (Tyndale House Publishers, 2014). Copyright © 2014 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.