Passage of the Day:
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned, Hebrews 11:24-29.
Reflection:
One of the hardest aspects of becoming a Christian is saying goodbye to your former way of life. One of the passages that speaks to spiritual growing pains is Psalm 1. As a teenager, I was never really popular until my final year of high school. Yet, I was the kind of person that wanted to please my peers, often laughing at inappropriate comments as well as joining others, even when I knew what I was doing was wrong. When Moses reached a stage of maturity, he realized that his adopted family, Pharaoh’s daughter, had become the enemy of Israel. Rather than continue living a luxurious and pampered life, Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God. This decision likely took a while to finally act upon when he finally rejected the pleasures of sin.
Prayerful Action:
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night, Psalm 1:1-2.
Fueling your Faith this Spiritual Season:
During my first semester of college at the University of Delaware, I did walk in step with the wicked. I chose to become popular rather than remain obedient to my faith. With each wrong step I took, I participated in activities that I knew were wrong, but my flesh overwhelmed my soul. Before I even realized it, I sat in the company of mockers, lowering my standards to that of the world. Fortunately, most of the crew I ran with flunked out of college, leaving me like the prodigal, starving to death, spiritually, Luke 15:16-17. These are the growing pains that I endured before I finally fell to my knees by proclaiming Jesus the Lord of my life, Romans 10:9-11. May God persuade and speak to you like the Lord impressed upon Moses.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Today’s song highlights the growing pains that Christians experience, moving from cool toward a faith that stands the test of time. May the lyrics of Get It Right ignite a desire deep inside your soul to become men and women of faith.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 