POSTS+

It is often referred to as the ‘Hall of Faith,’ as it celebrates the lives of patriarchs who chose to believe that God could be trusted. Hebrews 11 reminds us that the next step in their individual paths of faith was always blind obedience: no backup plans, no alternate destinations, only a bedrock trust in His purposes.

As a child, I loved the H.G. Wells movie, “The Invisible Man.” Claude Rains could introduce complete chaos into various situations yet remain unseen. He wrapped his head in bandages so that we could see him as needed, but I always wondered how his clothes disappeared with him? What a trick that was! Well, I digress.

The book of Genesis referred to invisible things, but rather than creating chaos, the invisible brought order. ‘By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.’ (Hebrews 11:3 NIV)

It was a world of invisible! God spoke and, at His Word alone, light, sky, land, plants, trees, etc. appeared. There was nothing visible to begin with… it was all in the heart of God until He spoke.

For in Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. (Col.1:16)

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

(I Tim. 1:17)

Then, the crux of the matter:
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (II Cor. 4:18)

What Noah saw were mockers and naysayers as he carefully followed God’s blueprint. Safely ensconced inside the ark, he sat in the middle of the unseen.

Abel’s generous offering was seen as an obedient sacrifice. What was unseen was the righteousness it propagated; so much so that Hebrews says ‘by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.’

When Abraham obeyed and left his home, he saw only the road ahead of him. He did not know where he was going. However, ’From this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore’. Abraham brought forth the unseen. Understandably, for the rest of his life, his focus remained there, locked onto the unseen.

By faith [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible. (Heb. 11:27)

The world calls to us relentlessly. It demands to be heard when we focus on what we see. It distracts us and makes it difficult to discern God’s gentle whisper. But if we will set our hearts on what is unseen, we remember that we are not residents, but pilgrims and strangers.

Hebrews reminds us that all of the ‘Hall of Faith’ inductees were still living by faith when they died. ‘They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance…’ (Heb.11:13 NIV) They were looking for a country of their own – one better than what they left behind – and God prepared a place for them.

So, I’m going to have an ‘invisible’ day. Like Moses, I’ll focus not on what I see around me, but on what my faith tells me is there. I seek the eternal, the better, and the unseen; to see, really see Him who is invisible.