The Faith of Moses

By Pastor Chad

By its very nature, faith is a quality that is demonstrated within the life of the believer. One cannot keep true faith contained. It pours out like a waterfall of grace flowing from an infinite divine source. Though never perfected in this life, faith is displayed in a variety of ways. Some of the greatest examples of a properly expressed faith can be found in the lives of the Old Testament saints. On Sunday morning, we looked at one of those saints discussed in Hebrews 11, Moses. 

In a spectacular act of faith, Moses refused to align himself with the Egyptian court and the Egyptian people, and instead chose to be counted among his fellow Hebrews, the very people of God, so that he could experience and benefit from God’s purpose and plan. In Hebrews 11:24-25, we read, “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” Moses chose to suffer with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of Egyptian life and riches. A life of faith is a life in which one’s heart and mind are aligned with the Lord. That is, a Christian seeks the Lord’s prerogative and will above his or her own. The Christian alliance is a bond that is linked to God first and foremost.  

Moses went from a palace to a pasture. He went from a prince of Egypt to a shepherd of Midian. You have likely heard many stories of individuals going from rags to riches. Rarely, however, do we hear of people who purposefully go from riches to rags. Moses saw it as a greater honor to be included as a child of God rather than as royalty of this world. It is better to enjoy the halls of the Kingdom of God than all the fame and riches this world has to offer. Such a position may mean that one endures shame and disdain in this life, but we know this world is not our home. We are simply travelers, foreigners on a heavenly journey. Moses demonstrated his faith by shunning the pleasures and benefits of earthly trinkets and endured the life of a wanderer. 

The point is that faith tethers us to God. It means we are His now. We do not live for the things of this life. We do not strive for vain, fleeting riches, but we enjoy and seek the joys and riches of a heavenly Kingdom–one in which we were created to enjoy.