Sunday, December 30, 2018

Trusting God for the Unseen

by Dr. Paul Chappell

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. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11:8-10

Charles Spurgeon routinely spoke to crowds of 6,000 or more at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. On New Year's Eve in 1891, he spoke to only a handful of friends who were with him in Mentone, France, where he had been seeking treatment for his painful illness. Spurgeon did not know when he spoke that night that in less than a month he would see the Lord, for whom he had faithfully preached, face to face. Although, Spurgeon did know that he trusted God.

Spurgeon said, “Could we procure a telescope which would enable us to see to the end of the year, would we be wise to use it? I think not. Great mercy has hung up a veil between us and the future; and there let it hang.” The following morning he preached a brief New Year's sermon at his hotel. “The vista of a praiseful life will never close, but continue throughout eternity. From psalm to psalm, from hallelujah to hallelujah, we will ascend the hill of the Lord where we will bow before the Divine Majesty in the bliss of endless adoration.”

While God does not expect us to be foolish or unwise in our lives, He does expect us to trust Him regarding the future. The path ahead will not be clear to us until we see God face to face. But, every day of our lives is already known to Him. We can trust Him even when we cannot see Him.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The hope of eternity in Heaven with God gives us strength to face any challenge or trial.