Faith - In the Secret Place

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb 11:6

This morning I was meditating on the ways faith was illustrated in Hebrews 11. I was struck by Sarah, who received a reward of faith because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Moses was counted as faithful because He caught a glimpse of the covenant and plans of God for the nation of Israel, and counted the things dear to God's heart as more valuable than all of the treasures in Egypt. Noah chose to believe the seemingly ridiculous predictions and instructions given to him by God, enough to devote a large portion of his life to following them, and because of it his whole family (not to mention the human race) was saved in the flood.

All the patriarchs acted on a reality that they couldn't see with their eyes. They chose to live as "strangers and pilgrims on the earth," counting the unseen things, and an unseen Kingdom, as more valuable and worthy of pursuit than what is seen.

When we shut our doors and go into the secret place to meet with the Lord, it is an act of faith. We are choosing to put duties and cares of the seen realm on the back burner, and seek after what is hidden. We are deliberately rejecting the things that constantly vie for our attention and affection in order to experience the reality of an unseen realm. We are testifying that this world is not our home, but that we are looking for a different home... a city whose Builder and Maker is God. We are transferring our hope from what is seen to what is not.

This is faith. And oh, how it pleases Him. :)