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. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
How much do you value stability? Often we look for stable jobs, stable relationships, stable cell phone service, and stable, well, you name it. Perhaps those things that are stable feel safe and predictable. They allow us to maintain an illusion of control and to think about other things.
Hebrews 11 reminds us that Moses was raised in the picture of comfort, safety, and stability. He was raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. In this position, Moses would have been viewed as an heir to the throne.* He enjoyed social status (fame, if you will), enjoyment, and riches.* It was a very cushioned life. Born a Hebrew slave, for some, knowing his story might have been a classic rags-to-riches story worth celebrating. There was more to his story, however.
In the middle of his ease, something caused him to throw all of his affluence away: he held a value system that was totally counter to his culture.* Where did this value system come from? It came from his parents. The author of Hebrews tells us that Moses’s parents saw that Moses was special and did not fear Pharaoh or his edict to kill their babies.* By God’s grace, they were offered the opportunity to stay involved in his life even after giving him up, and scholars believe that their voice in his life attributed to his understanding of himself and the call of God on his life.* Acts 7:23 tells us that Moses knew his calling though the people of Israel did not see it or follow it at first.* He did not need the people of Israel to tell him who he was… he got that sorted out by God.
There is a culture that promises a version of comfort and pleasure. Some of us enjoy more of it than we realize. It isn’t until God asks us to give up those things for a higher calling do we realize how attached to status, enjoyment, and riches we are.
What is God asking you to do? What does His calling require you to give up? Is there a Moses calling on your life?
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to say “yes” to His call on your life. Perhaps today God is asking you to trade temporary enjoyment today for eternal impact through obedience. Maybe today God wants you to trust Him with your dreams for your life.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 11:23–29). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 583–587). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 159–160). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (pp. 379–381). Zondervan Publishing House.