day no. 16,650: going without knowing

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

"Us: Here am I send me, Lord!

The LORD: OK, go.

Us: Go where?

The LORD: That way.

Us: Anything else?

The LORD: No.

Us: But where am I going, LORD?

The LORD: I told you. That way.

Us: And LORD, where might I end up?

The LORD: Reread Hebrews 11:8.

We love our stats and our data. We love living by sight. When you go out on faith like Abraham did, the result is that you are a foreigner. You don’t know the customs. You don’t know the traditions. You’re ignorant of the songs. Where is the post office? Is there a post office? And there is no one to answer your question because you haven’t yet found an interpreter yet. I repeat: Trusting God and going out in obedience like Abraham is terrifying." -- Jared Longshore, 7 Hard Steps Reformed Evangelicals Must Take To Win in 2023

This one cut to the quick. There are few things I dread more than the unknown except being forced to face it. I love stats and data and ducks in a row. I like knowing what to expect and catching my breath before pushing "play." In other words, I love to disobey when God says, "Go." I don't like going on Another's confidence. I like being self-assured, not comforted by Christ. I like being self-confident, not confident in Christ.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I read the Hebrews passage by Longshore within minutes of a friend texting me these verses from Proverbs. The ol' one-two from God's Word. Going out without knowing and leaning not on what you're used to leaning on. Wham and bam!

I don't know how to do what Abraham did and I don't know how to love what Solomon commands, but I want to. May God give me grace and guidance to go when and where He says and how and why He says so. And in the meantime, may God have mercy for all the times I've fallen short. May He account for all the opportunity costs lost to fear and timidity and proud stupidity. May He recover what was forfeited to the fear locusts and produce a fresh crop of faith even if thirty fold is my ceiling.