APPROVED

Today's reading: Hebrews 11-13

"What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith." Hebrews 11:1-2 NLT

I've known what faith is, based upon this Scriptures definition, since I was a child.

We had lessons on it in Sunday School.

We sang songs about it in Vacation Bible School.

We colored pictures, we read accounts in the Bible, we even had flannelgraph boards depicting what faith is.

But what I've noticed this morning is the second verse...

God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.

God's approval.

For believing God...

For trusting in what He said...

For living out what He promised...

Faith is going forward based upon God's promises--even what you don't see a thing pointing in that direction.

When it's still dark.,,

When events do not line up...

When it only gets harder, instead of better...

When your eyes cannot see what your heart wants to believe...

When you have to trust Him because you don't have it in you...

That's the point at which God approves us as faithful, as His faithful.