Faith. Yeah Faith.

After a blogging dry season (call it complete overload in all other areas of life), I'm trying to return. I'm starting back slowly, trying to catch a wind, per se...“just look cute and cuddly boys, cute and cuddly...”

FAITH. Yeah, faith. What in the world is faith anyway? How does it work? What does it look like?

Right now, I'm in a place where much faith is needed. My future as I draw it seems so simple, and yet when I look at the reality of things beginning to crack and crumble around me I'm wondering what the future holds. I'm reminded that my understanding of what should happen may be in stark contrast to what my Master has in mind for me.

So I have FAITH. How does that work?

The writer of Hebrews says it like this: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Being sure of what we hope for? Well, now that involves something more than a blind jump now doesn't it? This implies more. Being certain of what we do not see? This calls for something quite different than what the world claims faith to be.

G.K. Chesterton once wrote: “A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed.”

Isn't this the case? We think if we can just get our minds wrapped around things we can figure it all out. That is certainly how I am. But, oh boy, the world doesn't fit to our understanding, does it?

But you know the writer of Hebrews didn't just toss us that verse and say, “This is your plan for conquering life. Enjoy!” Uhh, no.

Instead, the author proceeds to then give us a myriad of examples. Real people doing real things, having real problems, dealing with real emotions, being broken in a very real way. And, in every case believing what they had been told. Not doing something, believing something. Not trying something, believing something.

“Faith is believing what you know to be true and trustworthy.” These people had encountered the living God. They knew His nature, His purpose and in many cases His plan. But at some point, they had to believe Him. They had to trust Him.

I'm in that place. Needing to trust Him. I know He is true, and I know that He is trustworthy. I know His nature. I know His purpose. I don't know His exact plan, but I know His overarching plan.

I need to believe what I already know to be true. In so many ways we all have knowledge of things, of people. But in the end, we don't trust what we know. We don't hang onto the true reality of the situation, and instead try to create our own.

I need to believe what I know to be true. Only He can help me to do that. I believe that He can, and I trust that He will.

Now here is the ultimate irony! In Hebrews 11, after the author provides a bulleted list of the faithful, he reminds us of this critical fact: “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

There is a greater purpose for us to trust in...a greater purpose that is bigger than us individuals, bigger than us as a group. It is His plan for His kingdom.

Amen. Come Lord Jesus.