“He went out, not knowing whither He went” (Heb. xi. 8).
It is faith without sight. When we can see, it is not faith but reasoning.
In crossing the Atlantic we observed this very principle of faith. We saw
no path upon the sea nor sign of the shore. And yet day by day we were
marking our path upon the chart as exactly as if there had followed us a
great chalk line upon the sea; and when we came within twenty miles of
land we knew where we were as exactly as if we had seen it all three
thousand miles ahead.
How had we measured and marked our course? Day by day our captain had
taken his instruments, and looking up to the sky had fixed his course by
the sun. He was sailing by the heavenly, not the earthly lights. So faith
looks up and sails on, by God’s great Sun, not seeing one shore line or
earthly lighthouse or path upon the way. Often its steps seem to lead into
utter uncertainty, and even darkness and disaster. But He opens the way,
and often makes such midnight hours the very gates of day. Let us go forth
this day, not knowing but trusting.