I’ve been reading through Hebrews 11 (again). It is (of course) all about faith.  It’s about the faith of some monumental Bible characters, but also some rather obscure ones, people who don’t even get mentioned by name.

I wanted to see something different this time through.  I wanted God to show me something I hadn’t seen before.  I wanted an “ah-ha” moment that I could apply to my own life, my own faith journey.  The “ah-ha” moment didn’t come with fireworks or great theological understanding.  It came in one word. 

Unknown.

Faith is about trusting God with an unknown.  Abel didn’t know why God asked for a sacrifice, but by faith, he gave one.  Enoch didn’t know that the result of walking with God would be that he got swept up to heaven without going through the process of death.  Noah didn’t know why he was asked to build an ark, but he obeyed.  Abraham didn’t know where he was going, but when God said, “go”, he did.

Read through the rest of the chapter.  Over and over, people were asked to do things or experience things that they didn’t understand.  They were asked to venture into the unknown with God. 

I have some big unknowns in my life.  Things I would much rather turn into “knowns”.  But there’s something about packing up these unknowns, getting on the path God has for me today and continuing to walk with God that pleases Him.  And there’s something about trusting Him with these unknowns that gives a foundation to the things I’m hoping and praying for.

I don’t get it.  But I don’t have to.  I simply have to trust God with my unknown, and leave Him to make it known in His timing.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  Hebrews 11:1

Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  Hebrews 6:12

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.  Romans 8:25