Good News for Today: October 12

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” (Hebrews 11:24). This may seem to be an act of ingratitude since it was Pharaoh’s daughter who saved him. From the few details we glean from Exodus 2, Pharaoh’s daughter seems like a strong, wise and compassionate woman. She took Moses in and raised him–and yet he refused to be known as her son. Why is that? It cannot be because of basic ingratitude, as if Moses took advantage of the situation but did not love and appreciate what Pharaoh’s daughter had done. He owed her his very life. I think the answer lies elsewhere. When Moses got to the height of his power, he gave it all up. Refused it. Relinquished it. Let it all go. It was not an easy decision to make because he knew that no one, least of all Pharaoh’s daughter, the woman to whom he owed his life, would understand. It seemed foolish, as if he was throwing away his whole future. By any normal standard, it didn’t make sense. Don’t miss the point. Moses made a choice. Our problem is not that we don’t make the choice. It is rather that we don’t see that a choice even needs to be made. We think we’re supposed to live in Egypt! It hasn’t occurred to us to leave. You can enjoy life in Egypt, or you can deliver your people from Egypt, but you can’t do both.

October 12, 2016

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