BIBLE READING PLAN
WEEK 2 – EXITING OUR PAST
DAY 2
In our readings this week, we’re focusing on the key idea from Exodus 2:
“Letting go of our past gives us room to receive God’s present plan.” Today, we will read from Hebrews 11:24-26 as we think more about that.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 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.
Reflection: Moses chose lasting pleasure with Christ in heaven, over the temporary pleasure of sin now. It cost him a lot, but he decided the payoff was way better.- Is there an area of your life that you are choosing temporary pleasure now rather than pleasure with Christ later? Talk to God about it.
23 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. 24 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.
Reflection: In Hebrews 11, we get the behind-the-scenes story of Exodus 2. We’re told Moses’ parents were full of faith and trusted their son to God’s care, rather than submitting to Pharoah’s sinful plans. We’re told that Moses carried that same faith. That he saw his Egyptian lifestyle as sin and “fleeting pleasure.” He saw being mistreated as an Israelite as worth it because he was “looking ahead to his reward.” We have the same choice: Will we copy the faith of Moses by looking ahead to our reward in Jesus in heaven? Or will we choose the temporary pleasures of sin now, rejecting the offer of pleasure forever?- Is there an area of your life that you are choosing temporary pleasure now, rather than eternal pleasure with Christ later?
- What costs might you have to pay now to associate more with Christ? Are those worth it to you?
- Talk to God about your choices and for the strength to persevere.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 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.
Reflection: Choices are great, aren’t they? It’s always better when you get to decide what you want to do, instead of someone forcing you to, right? Sometimes, those choices are easy. Like would you rather eat ice cream, or dog food? Ice cream, obviously! Even dogs would like that choice! But most of the time, choices are not nearly that easy, or even that fun. In our reading today, we see Moses having to make a really hard choice, one that most people would have a really hard time making. He had to decide between being known as the grandson of Pharaoh, the most powerful man in all of Egypt, following God. Now clearly there is a right decision here, and that is to follow God! But sometimes making that choice can be hard, and we might have second thoughts about making a hard decision like that. Maybe you did something that you know you weren’t supposed to, and now you have to make a choice to try and hide it, or to tell the truth about what you did. Or you saw your friend cheat on a test, and the teacher asks you if you saw them cheating or not. You have to make a choice to lie, or tell the truth. And even though there is a clear right answer, it can be hard to make it sometimes! But in our story, we read about how Moses made the right choice, and how it was so much better than choosing the wrong decision in the long run.- Have you ever had a time where it was really hard to choose between doing the right thing and the wrong thing? Which one did you choose?
- What is a way that you can help yourself remember to make the right choices, even when they’re hard?
Focus Verse: He [Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Hebrews 11:25
Devotional:
Moses’ parents were full of faith and trusted their son to God’s care, rather than submitting to Pharoah’s sinful plans. We’re told that Moses carried that same faith. Will we copy the faith of Moses by looking ahead to our reward in Jesus in heaven? Or will we choose the temporary pleasures of sin now, rejecting the offer of pleasure forevermore?
- Is there an area of your life that you are choosing temporary pleasure now rather than eternal pleasure with Christ later?
- What costs might you have to pay to associate more with Christ now? Are those worth it to you?
- Talk to God about your choices and for the strength to persevere.
Reading: Hebrews 11:23-28
Focus Verse: He [Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Hebrews 11:25
Devotional:
Moses' parents were full of faith and trusted their son to God’s care, rather than submitting to Pharoah’s sinful plans. We’re told that Moses carried that same faith. Will we copy the faith of Moses by looking ahead to our reward in Jesus in heaven? Or will we choose the temporary pleasures of sin now, rejecting the offer of pleasure forevermore?
- Is there an area of your life that you are choosing temporary pleasure now rather than eternal pleasure with Christ later?
- What costs might you have to pay to associate more with Christ now? Are those worth it to you?
- Talk to God about your choices and for the strength to persevere.
