For Sure

“By faith Abraham…” Hebrews 11:8,11,17

Abraham didn’t know where he was moving when God commanded relocation, but he knew for sure God had called him to leave, so he put the house on the market and headed “to the land I will show you”(Gen. 12:1). He was content to live in tents the rest of his life because he believed God was building a permanent home much bigger and better than anything he could find here. Faith needed no forwarding address before it packed the U-Haul.

Abraham didn’t know how God would give him and his wife a child of their own, for she was infertile and he was “as good as dead”(Heb. 11:12), but he knew for sure God had spoken about their son, so ten years before the baby was born, he obeyed and changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, implying that this “princess” would become the mother of many kings. Faith needed no positive pregnancy test before it painted the nursery.

Abraham didn’t know why God commanded him to sacrifice his only son, but he knew for sure God would provide for what He had promised, so “Abraham bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood”(Gen. 22:9). Though nothing about this scenario made any sense this side of heaven, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead”(Heb. 11:19), so he raised the knife. Faith needed no explanation before it offered the ultimate.

Our God is the God of unknown destinations, unexplainable delivery rooms, and seemingly unfulfilled dreams. He doesn’t expect us to always understand, but He expects us to always believe.

Faith isn’t being for sure of the what.
Faith is being for sure of the Who.