The Hall of FaithSample

Abraham’s Life of Faith

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Abraham does the impossible. He leaves his ancestral home, his people, his city, and all that he knows, and strikes out on a long and dangerous journey, not knowing where he will end up or if he will even arrive. In the ancient world, people did not do this sort of thing.

Abraham did it for one simple reason: faith. He trusted God enough to obey. He believed that God was God, and that if God told him to leave, then leaving was the best thing to do. What will the life of faith look like for us? This is what we see in Abraham’s life:

1. People of faith don’t play it safe. Faith invariably involves risk, the unseen, and the unknown. If we go through life playing it safe, being comfortable and cozy, never on the edge, then we are not living by faith. For example, giving 10 percent of your income is an act of faith. Will I have enough if I do that? It seems crazy, you might think. People of faith don’t play it safe. They live an adventure, trusting God to protect them and guide them.

2. People of faith obey God no matter what. We may not understand why we should obey. Abraham didn’t understand why he needed to leave, what God would do, or how God would take care of him, but he obeyed. Understanding can wait, but not obedience. Faith obeys God no matter what. Is there something in your life right now where you need to obey, even if you don’t understand everything?

3. People of faith are not immune from problems. God promised to make Abraham a great nation and as many descendants as the stars in the sky. But how long did Abraham wait for a son? Twenty-five years. Twenty-five interminable years. I hope you do not have to wait twenty-five years for whatever you’re waiting for, but we all wait at times. Living by faith does not mean exemption from problems; it simply means that we have the greatest problem solver already inside of us. 

4. People of faith trust God for the impossible. It is impossible for a couple to have a child when a woman is ninety years old. But God loves to put us into impossible situations so that we have no other option except to trust him, because if there’s any other option, we are inclined to take it. What is the biggest need in your life right now? Does it seem impossible to you? If so, remember God’s words to Sarah: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14)