Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Hebrews 11:1-3

Today is Memorial Day, a day when we honor those who died while serving our country, and for many this day honors all of those who passed before us.

On Friday evening Patrina and I were able to join my sister to stop by the grave sites of our parents and grandparents. They didn’t live to see Jesus’ return, but they lived their lives faithfully looking ahead to that day. They understood what the writer of Hebrews said in the passage above and they each lived a life of faith not unlike the people we will read about in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews.

Faith is being confident in God’s promises even when we can’t see them clearly. And so it is by faith that we trust God from the very beginning as “we understand that the universe was created by the word of God” even when the details are difficult for us to grasp.