Not afraid

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.              Heb. 11.23

Not a great deal is said in the Scriptures about the parents of Moses, but this brief reference affirms them to be people of strong faith.

Like much of the Bible narrative, the story is often so familiar to us that we do not consider the reality of what is being said. In truth, Moses’ parents had every reason to be extremely fearful of the king. The king had given explicit orders to all his people that every boy born within the Hebrew people was to be thrown into the Nile (Exod. 1.22). This order had been disobeyed and Moses’ parents would have faced extreme treatment if they had been found out.

But they were not fearful. At his earliest age, they were able to discern that their son was no ordinary child. They knew by faith that he had a destiny that they needed to preserve him for. Their faith was stronger than any fear that a human agency might whip up.

And this is true for us all. The faith God gives us will both strengthen and sustain. It may be quietly displayed but it gives the strongest assurance. I have faced no circumstances comparable with those that Moses’ parents experienced. If ever I should, may I know a faith similar to theirs.

Great God,

The gift of faith is a most wondrous thing. It carries us through the direst experiences and most severe challenges. I seek a deep faith. I ask, humbly, that You grant me, and grow in me, a deep faith.                Amen.