November 3 I Tuesday

Jeremiah 30-31

Philemon

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”   —Hebrews 11:8

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Abraham was not given detailed information of where God was leading him. He went on faith alone with confident assurance that God would direct His steps.

The mindset and actions of Abraham would be quite contrary to our present climate, where predictability and analysis of the future seem vitally important to success. There is no doubt we are living in unstable times, and there is an outcry for better answers, more knowledge, effective strategies and an expedient way. Today’s twenty-first century thinking encourages us to get all our ducks in a row, every step planned out and a reasonable expectation of the outcome.

God, however, does not work in our lives so that we have all our ducks in a row. This will only negate our need for faith in God, and faith in God is what He absolutely requires of us. The Christian life is lived out of relationship with a God who does the leading, who is the empowering and the One who accomplishes His purpose through us. All the details—the how, when, where and what are God’s business. He is not under any obligation to tell us any more than He chooses. Our responsibility is to obey God’s calling and trust Him with the outcome.

This is also evidenced in the New Testament when Jesus asked six of His disciples to follow Him, but not one of them asked where they were going or why. They simply dropped everything to follow Him. Three years later, Jesus said to His disciples, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” This prompted Thomas to ask, “Lord we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:4-5). This is a logical question many people would ask, but the response Jesus gives does not point to a place, or a specific route, but points directly to Himself. He answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). What Jesus was saying is that what matters most in a believer’s journey is not where we are going or how, but who we are going with. Who is guiding us? Who is our wisdom? Who is our strength and enabling?

In a committed relationship with Jesus, He automatically guides us, and we move in the direction He has called us. The details are not ours to work out, but with the trusting nature of a child, we follow the compass God has placed in our hearts, and like Abram, we step out in faith, completely dependent on God who is capable of accomplishing His purpose through us.

Prayer: Almighty God, thank You for the reminder that it is not where I am going or how, but the fact that I am going with You. Hold me close in Your Word, so that I may become increasingly sensitive and alert to Your direction.