Hebrews 11:1-3, 7-9a, 11-13a (NIV) 1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9aBy faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; 11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 13aAll these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.
By faith Noah believed the promise of an impending flood, and, miles away from any known body of water, prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By faith and prompted by a promise Abraham headed toward the Promised Land. By faith, Sarah believed the promise and gave birth to Isaac.
Faith is confidence in God, and confidence in the promises of God. Promises are powerful. By faith, confident in the promise of God, Noah built, Abraham went, Sarah conceived. Faith is confidence in a God who can be trusted. Confidence in the promise of God gives power and peace. Faith gives an open ended confidence that whatever happens God is with us. God can be trusted.
There is an element of not knowing to our faith, now knowing how, when, or where God will keep His promise to us. But our faith is not a blind confidence in God. It is based on evidence of things not seen. For faith means taking something on trust until it is proven to be true or false. If our confidence is only in our head, it stays right there, in our head and never reaches the rest of our life. When we place the weight of our faith on God and behave as if God is with us and as if He can be trusted, we receive certainty to our confidence, evidence of things not seen.
Where are you putting your confidence right now? God gives evidence that He is trustworthy to those who are willing to trust Him.
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope November 3, 1991
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles
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