Day 31: The Journey of Faith
Scripture to meditate on: Hebrews 11:23-29 Moses’ Faith and the Exodus
By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
Devotional:
In Hebrews 11:23-29, we see that because of his Faith in God, Moses:
- Walked away from the tempting but temporary enjoyment of a sinful life and his princely status.
- Just like his parents, he was not intimidated by the wrath of Pharaoh.
- He endured hardship steadfastly as one who gazed on Him who is invisible.
- He faithfully carried out the Passover resulting in the Exodus of God’s people from Egypt.
In light of God’s Word and the enduring promise of deliverance and providence, Moses weighed and formed a true estimate of his privileges and circumstances. By faith he made an evaluation of the temporary nature of his achievements (Acts 7:22) and the things he saw that the world was offering and its temptations. By Faith, Moses also understood and believed that his present pain and suffering was for a season and could not compare to the eternal and enduring unseen promises of God (greater good).
Certainty, convenience and privilege are a few of the things we all pursue in life and truth be told, once achieved are never easy to let go of. The scriptural text about Moses’ Faith and the message of the birth of Christ both remind us that true life and complete freedom do not consist in an abundance of worldly possessions (Luke 12:15). Many did not acknowledge Jesus Christ as King and His mission as the Messiah/Savior because He was born in a manger and not a ‘palace’, as the scripture teaches, 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God…”
John 1:10-12 (NLT), He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
In this season as we remember Jesus’ birth, by Faith and by God’s abundant Grace, a good perspective is to consider everything else as worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. (Philippians 3:8-14). After the ‘Exodus’ from Egypt, many had left Egypt physically but their lingering covetousness was a continual distraction and eventually cost them God’s promise of Canaan.
Questions to ponder:
- What does this passage say about God?
- What does this passage say about me or my relationships?
- What should I do in light of this passage?
