Published 3/25/20
Read Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."
Reflect
What is faith? Is it the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen? Is it the evidence of things we cannot yet see?
The writer of Hebrews addresses the topic of faith directly. "What is faith?" he asks. "It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see" (Hebrews 11:1, NLT). "Confident," "assurance," "evidence"--there are three words we don't usually associate with faith. And they certainly don't mean "blind."
Through the rest of chapter 11, the author of Hebrews tells story after story of people who acted on this confident assurance that God was in control. And all this assurance rests on the fact that they knew God's character. It's true that didn't always know the specifics of what God would do in the future, but they knew God well enough to trust Him.
As we read the Bible and daily allow God control of our life, we'll learn to trust the character of God. We'll learn the truth of God's promises to love us always, to provide for us always, to work all events out in a way that is good, both for us and for God.
Pray
Lord, thank you for loving me, guiding me, and protecting me. Please give me the confidence I need to trust You. Amen.