Hebrews 11:8, Psalm 31:15, Daniel 3:17-18, Romans 8:18

Liz Dumain

To trust when we cannot see God at work has to be the ultimate test of our willingness to follow Him. There are times in all of our lives when God requires us to step out into the unknown, to take a leap of faith, to go out on a limb - to 'just do it'. Hebrews 11 is the most awe-inspiring list of people who trusted God in the most extraordinary circumstances.

Abraham appears more than once - he was commanded by God to leave behind all that he knew and all his security - verse 8 reminds us that "By faith Abraham . . . obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going", and then later he was commanded to take Isaac up the mountain as a sacrifice. Because we know how the story ends, we forget that he didn't know it was going to be ok - he just got on and did it anyway.

Reverend Charles Inwood writes, "When God is going to do something wonderful; he begins with a difficulty. . . . When he is going to do something miraculous, He begins with an impossibility."

God loves to defy odds, accomplish the impossible, operate in the supernatural, and amaze us with His creativity and power. We serve a big God, not one that is confined and limited to our understanding and our ability to figure out His ways. A God so awesome and so infinitely capable of accomplishing His will in our lives, that he deserves our trust and obedience.

Is God calling you to trust Him like this today? Psalm 31:15 says, "My times are in your hand." That doesn't however mean that things will always turn out as we expect (or have decided) they should! God is looking for that attitude of heart that joins with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who declare in Daniel 3:17-18, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue."

Rest assured that God has you in His hands and if you know Him as your Saviour He won't let go of you even when things don't turn out quite as you expect!

Someone once said, "To have a testimony you first need to have a test." Don't fear or shrink back from whatever God is asking you to do or the circumstances you find yourself in. If He didn't think you were up to it He wouldn't have chosen you. Romans 8:18 says, "Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." And that is a promise you can count on!"