I’m a planner.

I like to know that I have all my ducks in a row. I like to know all the details about an assignment before I take it on. I like to think of every possible angle, every possible thing that could go wrong, every possible roadblock that might trip me up. I ask a lot of questions.

I want to know I’m doing the right thing before I do it.

But it seems like more often than not, God doesn’t give us all the details about our assignments up front. Seems like He’s more interested in having us step out in faith without the guarantees of how things will turn out.

He did it with Noah. Told him to build an ark. No questions asked. Noah did it. “So Noah did according to all that God commanded him” (Genesis 6:22). He did it with Abraham. Told him to get out of his country and go to a land He would show him. No questions asked. Abraham did it. “So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him” (Genesis 12:4).

Sometimes, God calls us to do things without all the details up front. Sometimes He wants us to take Hebrews 11:1 very literally. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Sometimes the confirmation that we have done the right thing comes after the obedience.

Because, after all, THAT is what faith is all about.

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11:7

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Hebrews 11:8

That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7

(This blog post is a “rerun”,originally posted on 2/24/11 – in case it sounded familiar!)