But the Lord said to him, “Go…”
Acts 9:15
When Ananias heard God say he must go to Saul of Tarsus to lay his hands on Him so he would receive his sight, Ananias began to politely inform God that He obviously didn’t know who this guy Saul was! “He hates guys like me, Lord, and he has authority to throw me in jail! This is not a good idea!!” Nevertheless, the Lord said, “Go.”
Has God ever told you to do that which was totally contradictory to human reason? Has He required of you that which could potentially turn out to be of great personal harm? If not, then either you haven’t walked with Him long, or you aren’t walking with Him at all! Maybe that seems a little harsh to you, but consider for a moment the thing that is absolutely necessary to please God. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Heb 11:6) Everyone of God’s children possess this gift of faith from Him, and it is never dormant. (Eph 2:8, Jam 2:26) God will have it exercised and active!
This verse in Heb 11 introduces a long list of believers and the things they accomplished “by faith”. It’s not a very comfortable list for the flesh. In fact, sometimes the circumstances were downright scary! Just listen to a few:
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (v. 7)
Imagine the ridicule Noah must have endured as he labored and preached for 120 years, building a boat where there was no water! It had never even rained on the earth because God watered the ground with a mist that came up from the earth. (Gen 2:6) The idea of a flood was ludicrous to the men around him. He was no doubt branded as a fool until one day the rain fell.
“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.” (v. 8)
There was no police force in Abraham’s day as he traveled through strange, violent lands. He left the protection of his family and abandoned their gods to follow a God they didn’t know. Where was he going? The text says he had no idea! All he knew was that God said, “Go.”
“By faith he [that is Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” (v. 27)
Moses had it pretty good in Egypt. He lived in Pharaoh’s house. He was learned and skilled in the Egyptians’ ways. He could have had a comfortable life there, but he left it all to suffer with the Jews. Why? Because he viewed “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” (v. 26)
And the list doesn’t end there. V. 33-37 chronicles the acts of others “who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented…” We may not know the names of all these precious souls, but we have this record of the Holy Ghost concerning them: “of whom the world was not worthy.” (v. 38)
The one thing they all had in common was that they obeyed God by faith. They didn’t trust in what things looked like outwardly. Their faith provided for them “the evidence of things not seen.” (v. 1) And so, all who possess this faith will be called to use it. We will also hear that voice of God saying, “Go,” and no matter how illogical the instruction may seem to our natural man, there is only one response for those with eyes to see the unseen. “Here am I! Send me.” (Isa 6:8)
Jamie