We’re going through a series in a youth group called One Small Step, we’re walking through Hebrews 11 at the hall of faith and reflecting on how our lives will look if we move into a practical active faith that we live out, One Small Step at a time. This week, we looked at
Hebrews 11:8.
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
How amazing is it that Abraham picked up all he had, left everything he knew, and began a journey completely out of faith? How difficult and aimless this journey would have felt, to begin walking with no destination and no idea how to get there.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:1-3
God often calls us out of our comfort zone without a clear direction. Maybe God knows that if we knew where we were going, we would take our
own path to get there. You see, God uses the journey to grow our faith. We call it a “faith walk” because, at times, we don’t know where we’re going; but we go by faith.
I remember a few years ago at our yearly winter retreat with the youth group, I felt like God was calling me to go on a short-term mission trip. I wrote it off as a crazy idea and went on my way. A bit later a
youth member approached me and told me about how he felt like God was calling him. The conversation led to conversation and eventually Jessica and I signed up to go on this mission trip with this student.
To say I was terrified was an understatement, I had no idea what we were doing or how we could do it. I didn’t know how to get a passport, I didn’t know how to pack for this, I didn’t know what to do at an
airport and I would have rather swam to Haiti than fly in an airplane. But the entire time, I felt like God was saying “Go.”
I remember Proverbs 3:5-6 being stuck in my head:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
I didn’t know what was going to happen and yes I was afraid but I followed God and watched as He made our paths straight. We got there and had one of the best weeks of my entire life. There was no TV, very
little electric, we didn’t have the internet or video games, we didn’t have air conditioning or even roads. The luxuries we value so much in America were nowhere to be found. What we had was each other, we had
soccer, volleyball, this weird pickup rocks game, and most of all we had the presence of God.
While we talked with and hung out with the locals, we went on prayer walks where we prayed for individuals, we handed out bible in Creole, I had the privilege to preach a message and see 26 Haitian youth give
their lives to Jesus. All of that happened because I followed God, even when I couldn’t see where He was taking me.
God has not called you to know, He’s called you to Go And yes, sometimes without a destination.
James 1:22 says Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Why would God not just tell us where we’re going or the plan He has? Honestly, I think it’s because we would be overwhelmed with what He has in store for us. If we could see His grand plan, we wouldn’t believe that we would be able to accomplish it.
God, you’ve got the wrong guy. You’ve got the wrong girl. There’s no way I can do that. I can’t speak well, I don’t know what I’d say…
I can’t do that, I’m an addict. I’m going through a divorce. I’m caught in sin. I’m useless. I’m ugly. I’m…
We would spend all of our time looking at ourselves and our imperfection and thinking about what we can’t do, instead of focusing on God who is perfect and is greater than all. Instead, God gives us
the strength we need each day and He calls us to follow Him, One Small Step at a time.
Prayer:
Today, take one small step in the right direction. Whether in relationships, at work, or in your relationship with God. Identify one small step of obedience and commit it to the Lord today in prayer.
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