See Ya Later, Safe!

I LOVE Hebrews 11 because it gives us such a clear picture of what faith looks like. I've seriously been reading and studying this particular chapter for 3 days now, and I'm STILL not done soaking it all in! There's just soooo much here...
Basically, to start off, vs. 8 caught my eye. Abraham's journey of faith literally takes him and his family to a brand new city, but does he make excuses? Nope...he doesn't know the reasons WHY God chooses to bring him here, BUT:
he "obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

Why did he do this?! Why leave the familiar? The safe? The comfortable??
"He was looking FORWARD to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (vs. 10)

*"LOOKING FORWARD"! This implies 2 things:
1. He's not looking anywhere else but to what's just ahead of him, which God has already sovereignly prepared. Though he can't physically see it yet, his faith gives him eyes to see and understand: the Lord's ways are higher. Better. Perfect.
2. Hope is abundant! Abraham isn't moping around, wishing away for days past where he lived in a familiar town (his home)...he's actually the complete opposite. Fueled by a hope that God clearly brought him here, Abraham looks forward to what God is doing and is about to do...knowing, too, that BECAUSE God brought him to this place, he will also USE him. 
It's an exciting thing to dwell on and look forward to...what's more? There's even a hint of Abraham looking beyond this world and into the next, thanks to his faith...looking forward to the future restoration of earth, when sin is gone and Jesus reigns. How's THAT for something to look forward to? :)


*Interesting side note: he was able to have this time to "look forward" because of the POSITION God placed him in!!! He, in a brand new city, a bit out of comfort range, sees CLEARLY the prize which we are all one day going to experience as children of our Heavenly Father. Abraham is in the PERFECT position to see and gain hope from this truth...no chance. No coincidence. 

Just faith.




See ya later, safe. :)