“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Have you ever wondered just how does faith work?  Hebrews chapter 11 is a good place to start. Not only does it provide a definition, it gives examples of the faith of Old Testament characters throughout the chapter.  In verse 1, faith is defined as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Faith assures us of things hoped for.  What do we hope for? The answer is found in the promises of God.  The Bible scholar A.W. Pink compared faith to a telescope.  He stated that “faith is the telescope that brings the future promises of God into present focus.”  Faith is vital not only to our salvation, but also for everyday living in the Christian life.  By faith, we can live with confidence in God about the fulfillment of His promises.

The next phrase “the conviction of things not seen” tells us we can be convinced of the unseen or the things we don’t see yet.  Chapter 11 offers the example of Noah.  From Genesis, we know God came to Noah and told him to build the ark, because he was going to flood the world.  He also told Noah to fill the ark with one pair of every animal, as well as his family. At the time of the given instruction, there was no forecast of rain, nor any previous history of rain floods. Yet, Noah built the ark.  How did Noah do it? Or what motivated him? Faith. He didn’t feel raindrops coming down, nor did he see rain cloud on the horizon. All Noah had to go on was God’s Word.  And with reverence, Noah faithfully built the ark.  The flood happened. And Noah’s family was saved by being in the ark.

As believers, we are called to trust the promises in God’s Word even when we may not see the promises fulfilled until later.  This is how faith works. Remember, all the Old Testament examples in the chapter did not receive what was promised to them in their lifetime.  God is trustworthy.  His promises are trustworthy, too.  We may not see everything in His promises fulfilled in our lifetime, but we can still have confidence in God.  Fittingly, in verse 6, “without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God, must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”   In conclusion, God gives us a faith that works, a faith that motivates, and a faith that keeps trust in Him.