"And this is the glory of faith, namely, not to know where you are going, what you are doing, what you are suffering, and, after taking everything captive — perception and understanding, strength and will — to follow the bare voice of God and to be led and driven rather than to drive." (From Luther’s commentary on Hebrews)
A friend of mine from seminary wanted to propose the preceding statement, from Luther’s commentary on Hebrews, as a tag line on seminary diplomas. Given that the Gospel text for Sunday (5th Sunday after Pentecost) is about discipleship the preceding excerpt (which is taped to my computer monitor) serves as a great reminder to me of my call. It is a scary thing to not know where you are going or what you are doing or what you are suffering. We want to be in the know. But when we can turn things over to Jesus the ride is always much more fun than with us at the wheel. When it comes right down to it…we don’t know how to drive.
Dear God, help me to hear and listen to your "bare voice" so I may be led and driven. The journey is too treacherous for me to handle alone. Please take control and drive. Amen!
-edh-
The Heart of a Pastor 
“the bare voice of God” great words…reminds me of the prayer we always said at the end of matins…I’ll look it up and post it.
We always want to “know” as if that gives us control. In the Bible, what’s-his-name (sorry about that) wanted to know God’s name. We want to know the name of a disease we have. We want to know the future. Accidents are investigated, for good reason, but the past can’t be changed. We want to know what is going on in the world, yet missing the news on TV doesn’t make things worse (or better, for that matter.)
I used to think that just having certain knowledge would change things. Obviously not.
Sometimes it seems that my “maturity” in life and in faith is that I am lazier. But part of that is giving up the need to know. Rather, I am more just resting in Christ’s arms. It is kind of like REALLY letting go of the kids when they leave home. It is hard to let go, but knowing what they are doing doesn’t change things.
Is it AA which says, “Let go and Let God?”
It is scary to not know where we are headed and what the future holds. But if we knew, how many of us would go?
I should know this prayer by heart/what’s wrong with me?
Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yetuntrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leadding us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
PS – You’re right…knowing does not always make things better. And like David said, if we really knew would we go. I think when these fears arise in me it is God’s bare voice “slapping” me in the face that wakes me up and helps me to trust more. It is in those times when I do not need to know.
Thanks for the comments (and for the prayer, Diane).
Eric