“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 (NKJV)

Faith demands that we see the unseen, and believe the unbelievable. It is the platform by which all believers must stand upon if God is to truly be pleased with our life while on earth. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) Faith is also characterized as “the substance of things hoped for.” The suggestion here is that faith is the “essence” or the basis of what we seek to believe or to simply say it is our assurance or ground of confidence. Faith has absolutely everything to do with what will be and what is to come. It is our guarantee that what God has promised in His word He is able to perform it and bring it to pass.

It is virtually impossible to discuss the topic of faith without including Abraham in the conversation. He is expressly characterized in scripture as being a Friend of God and the Father of the Faithful. These titles were not given to him because he was God’s favorite. Quite to the contrary, he was tested and tried in many respects. He lied, he failed, and he became presumptuous in his relationship with God. But at the end of the day, in the midst of impossible circumstances, when what he “saw” did not line up with what God said, it is faithfully recorded that Abraham believed God. “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6 (NKJV) In this particular episode in the life of Abraham he was promised a son at a time when he was about 75 years old. He was “dead” as it related to procreation, and Sarah his wife’s womb was dead as it related to bringing a baby to term. However, the Apostle Paul recounts this period in Abraham’s life that he (Abraham) “did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief.” (See Romans 4:13-25)

Notwithstanding, during this episode of faith in the life of Abraham, there are times when faith demands that we be so audacious, so bold, so unconventional, so anti-status quo that when God prepares us for His next move in our life, we must respond even when He does not give us all of the necessary information that we believe that we need. Oh, the audacity of faith. Sure, it would be great if we had just one hint, one clue, if God would just drop us a nugget of evidence, it would make things alright. However, if He did just that, it would be no reason to call faith; faith. Here in our devotional text the Hebrew writer recalls Abraham’s first real test of faith. He is commanded by God to leave family, friends, and the familiar to go to a place when he had no clue of his ultimate destination. Yet the text records in Genesis 12:4a, “So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him.”

What has God spoken to you? Are you wrangling, weary, and worried? Are you trying to see faith as a destination when in reality it is a journey? Are you concerned about the next level, the next step, trying to get to a place or position when faith in God is perpetual? It is on going. Audacious faith requires the willingness to be a risk taker. You must be someone who will go against the grain, against traditions, and the biased opinion of others. Don’t worry about what you are going to do when you arrive at your destination. The real challenge is how you navigate the journey. The destination is already secure for those who believe. It is the journey that is oftentimes unclear and that demands the audacity of faith.