If we look at Abraham's life, the patriarch of the Jewish people, we find a man, like any other man.  What make his life extraordinary inviting both jew and gentile to study his life lived nearly 4000 years ago is his willingness to implicitly trust God.  In other words Abraham chose to do life "By Faith" in God.  Somehow Abraham believed God knew him, so He invited the God that knew him do direct his life's journey.  There have been songs written about Abraham, his name is still spoken from the lips of the faithful in synagogues, churches and mosques throughout the world, the Sacred Text of God's word makes mention of his exploits, failures, and his faith.  Abraham heard from God and he responded by leaving everything he knew: family, friends, hometown, and the spirituality that was given to him by his parents.

"Drastic," most of us would shout!  But for Abraham, God's path was the only path to the new life his soul longed for; maybe it's just not Abraham who was looking for something more substantial...more meaningful, maybe it's all of us.  Maybe all the chaos we create in our world is brought on by this entrenched desire to "Be Known."  We find and carry and shout our monikers which define the uniqueness that we demand the world to know us by; and yet our cries and out signs remain un-heard and un-seen.  We shout louder, this time with anger and hate and judgement, and even bring harm to property and persons demanding we be heard and we be seen.  Still yet, it seems no one hears, and no one sees.

We look to causes and we look to politicians and we look to celebrities to find our answers and to cause our voices to be heard, and still no one hears or sees "Me."

Maybe, Abraham's God, the one I don't believe really exists; the one I say I trust with my life, but really use as a moniker to be known by, instead of know personally is my answer.

Abraham, after hearing from God, responded by following God's lead, not perfectly, but humanly. It is exactly because he chose to follow God's lead in his daily life that he began to experience the fulfillment of God's promises to him.  Promises to prosper him, make a nation out of him, make a name for him and that God would bless the world through him.  It seems as thought God knew the longing in Abraham's heart, God knew him and Abraham began to know God and Abraham began to do life in a new way, a life giving way. 

Are you done with life your way, or is having it your way thoroughly satisfying you?  Are you completely known; do you live in constant want, striving, stretching, and pushing?  Or are you resting in the contentment of knowing life isn't up to you, nor does it need to be because the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob cares for you; and knows you; and never fails to bring 100% satisfaction to your need to be known, seen and heard.

I can honestly say, that today my life is more fulfilling and more filled with adventure than I could have ever imagined.  And it just keeps getting better, not because I have everything I think I need; or because I've been everywhere I think I need to go; not because I've accomplished everything I think I need to accomplish; and not because somehow I've made the world hear my voice or see "Me;" but because somehow my God has become the one I desire most; my God hears my voice; my God sees Me.  This discovery, for me, came "By Faith" in my God.  He knew me, now, "By Faith": living life on His terms, powered by His strength, guided by His wisdom, provided for by His hand, I am coming to know Him.

Does your FAITH determine your life's decisions?  Because your life's promise lays within your choice to believe.  Remember, the consequences cannot get greater: your life and death hang in the balance.  Know Abraham's God sees you, hears you and longs for you to know Him "By Faith," you need only respond...leave what you know and know Abraham's God and find your Promise!