By Faith: Fearless
Scripture Reading — Exodus 1:8-2:2; Hebrews 11:23
By faith Moses’ parents hid him … and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
Hebrews 11:23
Powerful people like Pharaoh are usually afraid of losing their power. That’s why Pharaoh became an oppressor, a slave master, a killer of the people of Israel. He didn’t want them to get too strong, so he ordered that all their newborn baby boys be killed.
Many years later King Herod did a similar thing to the baby boys in Bethlehem. He wanted to be sure Jesus never became king. (See Matthew 2:13-18.)
Moses’ birth was an act of faith. Keeping him alive in defiance of Pharaoh’s order was an even bigger act of faith on the part of his parents. They “feared” God more than Pharaoh. Faith in God causes us to see the world differently and also to act differently. Moses learned this from his parents.
It’s not that believers like Moses or his parents are never afraid. We all know fear. But as faith grows, fear recedes. We learn to overcome our fears. We are no longer ruled by our fears but by faith.
Faith gives us eyes to see God Almighty in the picture of our lives. Moses’ parents saw God in the picture of their son’s life. It is that more than anything else that makes children beautiful to believing parents. That is why they will defy people like Pharaoh. They will not hand over their children to those who would harm them. God in Jesus keeps all our lives forever.
Lord, help us to trust that we are always in your care; no one can snatch us out of your hand. Your resurrection power guarantees it, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
About the author — Gordon Pols
Rev. Gordon Pols and his wife, Ann, have two married children and two grandchildren. After serving four congregations in Western and Central Canada, Rev. Pols retired from active ministry in 2007. He is currently doing parttime pastoral work with West End Christian Reformed Church, Edmonton, Alberta. He also works parttime for Crossroad Bible Institute, promoting a Bible study correspondence course for prison inmates.
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