"Heroes of Faith" - Moses

Faith and determination can inspire us to do some pretty amazing things. The king of Egypt was growing increasingly threatened by the growth of the Hebrew nation. He was afraid that they might grow large enough, organize, and eventually overthrow him and his kingdom. He ordered that the Hebrew nation be forced into more harsh labor to kill their spirit, and he ordered that all male Hebrew infants be killed at birth. Two people had enough faith and determination to ignore that order, spare their son, and hide him from the king for three months. Their act of faith would prove to be just the thing the Hebrew nation needed to break the power of the pharaoh’s reign and open the door to their rescue.

Moses’ parents understood that faith triumphs over fear! Despite the king’s edict that all Hebrew male infants were to be killed, Moses’ parents believed that he was destined for great things. Josephus, the first century writer of Christian history, seems to believe that Moses’ parent received a direct revelation from God that Moses was destined to be the leader of the Hebrew nation. They saw he was no ordinary child…Moses was an extra-ordinary child. Like Moses’ parents, we need to believe that our children are destined for greatness. I have heard, on more than one occasion, parents say that they would not want to have to raise their children in today’s world. Why? I would say that now more than ever, our world needs strong, believing parents raising strong, believing kids to become the leaders of tomorrow. We have the ability and freedom to influence our children for the sake of Christ. We need to teach them whose they are, what they have been called to, and what reward awaits them if they faithfully answer that call. We must constantly take advantage of the opportunities to convince our children that because God lives in them, they are destined for greatness.

Because of the influence of Moses’ parents, he grew up understanding that faith triumphs over power. It is a given that because Moses’ mother was employed by the pharaoh’s daughter to nurse him and help raise him that she was taken advantage of every opportunity to remind him of his destiny. He became so confident in who he was, and what he was to do, that he realized he didn’t need anything from the pharaoh. He refused all of the pleasures and treasures of the palace. He refused to be recognized as the son of the pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to identify with his Hebrew brothers and sisters for the sake of Christ. He chose suffering, slavery, and hardship because he was looking ahead to a greater reward. Like Moses, we must understand that we are children of a greater king! We are part of a much more royal family with a greater name, and a kingdom that fights for a much greater cause. We must believe that we have the rights to a greater treasury far beyond anything this world can offer. If we can come to believe this, then we can come to realize that this world has nothing to offer us.

Because of Moses’ influence, the Hebrew nation came to understand that faith triumphs over time. Moses fled Egypt because his own people did not, at that time, understand who he was and what he was to do for him. The whole time he was away from his home and his family, Moses never lost sight of his calling because he was able to see him who was invisible. God continued to reveal himself to Moses in his own way; constantly encouraging and uplifting Moses until the time was right to send him back to Egypt. When he returned, his faith and reliance on God inspired a nation to move against a system that had oppressed them for years. Like Moses, we must learn to see God, even when we can’t physically “see” God. We must believe that our acts of faith can and will inspire others to act in faith. We must believe that our faith can inspire a nation into action. Our faith in God can and will make a difference.

Our present circumstances are not a recipe for defeat, but an open door of opportunity. We have been called by God, rescued by Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We too are destined for greatness. One man’s faith inspired a nation and caught the attention of the world. Do you believe that your faith can make a difference? If we are going to influence the world for Christ, you must believe that your faith makes a difference. In you, people need to see a God worth getting to know. In you, people need to see a God that can make a difference. In you, people need to see that God is never going to abandon us, but is going to give us the strength and endurance necessary to stay the course and rise to the occasion. We press on because like Moses, we know what treasures await us. Be a hero of faith…