Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:27, “By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible.”

There are times in our lives when either opportunity or catastrophe invades our lives along with the challenge to change. And fear can paralyze our response. Unless.

Richard Foster in his book Prayer notes, “As we begin to follow these nudgings of the Spirit, we are changed from the inside out.” From the time Moses began to examine his choices and decisions under God, he took stronger and stronger steps of faith. From his first encounter where he genuinely tried to explain to God why he wasn’t equipped for this role of leadership until the time came to put God’s plan into effect, he became not only the leader God called him to be, but also a leader no longer afraid of Pharaoh.

 Foster also says that in response to God’s overture of love that we can respond by a covenant of holy obedience. “Without reservation we vow to follow the Father’s faintest whisper.” What was ahead of Moses now became more important than what was behind.

Lord, please give us the strength to move into each new day and persevere under Your power and guidance.  Please remove any fears that chain us from fully following You or hearing Your words speaking into our hearts. Help us to truly see.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 118:8-9

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     What have you inherited that has become a strong foundation for you?

2.     Have you inherited anything that qualifies as a fleeting pleasure?

3.     How has either affected your spiritual inheritance with God?

4.     Had you been in Moses’ place of decision, which aspect of Pharaoh’s inheritance would have been the most difficult for you to walk away from?

Share: What part of God’s inheritance as His child do you cherish the most?

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:25, “Choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.”

In John 17, Jesus prays for His followers not to be taken out of the world, but to be kept from the evil one—to be sanctified in truth as a witness to the world. Moses’ advanced education and opportunities given by his upbringing gave him the gifts and qualities he needed to lead a nation, to write the Torah, to lead his people in worship of a personal God. Was there even a possibility he could have been the next Pharaoh?

Two inheritances with possibilities ahead of which he knew neither. Yet, he knew enough to know that earthy power comes and goes. A once mighty rule could quickly become buried under sands of time. And he chose the story of his people over the temporary. Trusting that following God’s promises would be far better than playing by the world’s rules. And have lasting eternal value.

Perhaps to stay in Pharaoh’s household meant a participation with sin even if not committing it. Can silence or compromise become acquiescence? How can we know when to stay in a situation or when to break all ties?

Lord, we need Your wisdom to not become blinded by wrong opportunities to do right things. Help us to stand in the heritage of Your word, Your will, and Your ways.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 105:3-5

“Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

Remember His wonders which He has done,

His marvels, and the judgments uttered by His mouth,”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:24, “By faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter,”

Pharaoh’s daughter rescued Moses from the Nile. She knew he was a Hebrew baby and yet made her choice to save him. Her heart opened in pity. She named him gave him life, education, wealth and influence. She was a key part of his upbringing. How painful for her experience the rejection. How difficult it must have been to reject the good she had given.

Yet, to choose to stay and accept her inheritance and all the worldly power that it encompassed would pull Moses away from God’s call on his heart.  Away from his compassion for his still enslaved people. Did he wrestle with whether he could work from within the power system to bring about change?

So often our choices are not as clear as good versus bad, but a mixture of both. And to step out in faith costs. It’s so hard to let go of relationships or place or opportunity—even in our high tech communication world.

“When he was grown” then Moses’ time for a decision of faith came. Henry T. Blackaby in his book Experiencing God refers to this as a time to adjust our lives to God.

Although he might not have recognized it, Moses did not come unprepared to this crossroad. He had the example of both his own family, whose faith placed him in the river, and the courage of his adopted mother to deny the Pharoah’s edict. Both choosing life—a gift of physical life. Now Moses came to the point of choosing soul life—a faith walk life.

Lord, we each need Your guidance and clarity to discern when Your truth asks us to change our heart into a new step of faith. Even when it means stepping away from blessings.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 25:4-5

“Make me know Thy ways, O Lord; Teach me Thy paths.

Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, For Thou art the God of my salvation;

For Thee I wait all the day.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:23, “By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

All newborn babies are completely helpless. Just holding a newborn for the first time can be a daunting experience. We have experienced stories of people who have overcome terrible circumstances to survive those early months. And we have heard the heartbreaking stories of babies who had every medical assistance possible and could not survive.

Moses’ parents also faced a hostile edict set on murder. Yet they managed to hide him for three months. I can’t imagine how. My newest grandson just turned that age and he is on the quiet side, at least quieter than my children were. Yet there is no mistaking or ignoring his cry when he so chooses.

These parents chose the danger of crocodiles over the danger of the edict.

Their actions could mean death.  By their own decisions—what if they were wrong? We struggle day by day with our own faith steps, but usually for ourselves only, not life and death situations for our loved ones. Or do we?

Acts 7:20, says the parents saw that he was lovely in the sight of God. Not just a beautiful baby boy, but lovely in God’s sight.  And so they had the courage to trust. As a parent I can’t help but wonder how often I trusted wholly in the Lord for my children or tried to fix things in my own strength out of fear for the ‘king’s edict.’

Moses’ parents chose faith in God’s provision. Love and trust over malice and fear.

Only when we as parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and teachers, recognize and lift our children up into God’s promises can we give them a life that is eternal. Then they grow up in His provision and protection. And we can marvel at their beauty too.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 67:1-2

“God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us—

That Thy way may be known on the earth, Thy salvation among all nations.

Let the peoples praise Thee, O God; let all the peoples praise Thee.”