Make Your Choice BY Malusi Skunyana

Read Hebrews 11:24-27 

HEB 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

HEB 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

HEB 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

HEB 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

In spite of the great prospects that were open to him in his royal home in Egypt, Moses identified himself with his real people the enslaved Israelites, and chose a life of suffering with God’s people rather than enjoying the temporary pleasures of Egypt. His story is an inspiration to us today; it tells us that it is always better to choose God than all the treasures of the world. The things of the world will not last forever, they are temporary just as life in this present world is temporary, but the offerings of God are eternal and are reserved for those who chose to live for Him.

The Bible records that, as he grew older, Moses refused to be called Pharaoh’s daughter, and identified himself with his real people. At that time, the Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years. The birth of Moses came when the yoke of slavery was heaviest, at the time when Pharaoh had ordered the killing of all infant boys of the Israelites. When Moses was a newborn, his mother hid him in the house so that no one could find him. But as the child grew and could no longer be hidden in the house, his mother decided to hide him at the river Nile, and instructed the baby’s sister to keep an eye on him at the river. Then one day, Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river with her maids, and she found the child Moses, and took him. Then Miriam, Moses’ sister, came forward and offered to find an Israelite woman to nurse the child for Pharaoh’s daughter until he is old, and so Moses’ mother was given her own child to raise for someone else. This was God’s intervention to preserve the life of Moses, for God had great plans for him.

When he was old enough, Moses went to live in his new home with the Pharaohs. Although his new life gave him great advantages and good prospects for the future, Moses never identified himself with his royal family, but always regarded himself as an Israelite, a child of God. Being exposed to wealth and a great life, Moses turned away from it and identified himself with his enslaved people hoping for God’s deliverance some day. He chose a life of suffering rather than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward to the reward of God with which He would reward His faithful children. When he saw an Egyptian beating up an Israelite, he defended the Israelite, thus showing that he identified himself with the enslaved people rather than his royal family. Later on God called Moses to lead Israel out of the Egyptian bondage into the promised land.

The choices of Moses should encourage us as Christians of today to stand out and show that our loyalty lies with God. We should show by our everyday life that we are strangers and pilgrims in this world. The world needs to know that we are children of the heavenly King, and that we live by different principles, the principles of God. Every child of God should shun the pleasures and treasures of the world, and live a life worthy of an heir of the kingdom of God. Moses’ example calls on us to make a choice between heaven and the world, we cannot have both, we can have the world with all its treasures, or we can have heaven and all the riches of God.

Dear friend, in order for us to be in God’s kingdom some day, we have to show now by our life that we are strangers and pilgrims in this world. When we choose to be true to God in this wicked world, we may and will encounter hardship, but Jesus has said, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10. All the things of this world are nothing compared to the reward God has promised us if we will remain faithful to Him. I pray that God may give you faith and courage, that you may be able to live for Him no matter what. God bless you! Amen!