Emunah

 by Macy Johnson

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what we do not see.”

(Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

 

A dear sister in the Lord recently brought the Hebrew word “emunah” (pronounced eh-moo-NAH) to my attention. I researched it in Hebrew for Christians and discovered the first time it appeared in the Bible is with Abraham. God declared him righteous because he trusted God to do what He promised to do. Abraham demonstrated emunah, a kind of Amen, or “so be it” faith.

 

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place

he would later receive as his inheritance,

obeyed and went, even though he did not know

where he was going.”

(Hebrews 11:8 NIV)

 

I like to think of emunah as “whatever you say, Lord” faith. The Apostles Creed begins with “I believe in…”, which is emunah. Every Sunday during worship I confess my faith in the Triune God, the Creator and Sustainer of all life. I want to believe, like Abraham and all those saints who have gone after him.

 

Many believe there is a God, a Creator, but they do not personally trust Him. They miss the relationship, which is vital to pleasing God. Either they do not know what His promises to them are, or do not care. Emunah represents an active trust in the goodness of the Lord and expresses itself as loyalty to His will. My actions are a result of my faith, or lack thereof. I want to walk by faith, by emunah, not by sight.

 

“Faith comes from hearing the message,

and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.”

(Romans 10:17 NIV)

 

I will express emunah in my daily life by constant obedience and trust in my heavenly Father’s promises and presence as I study His Word. I hope you will, too!