Step Onto Liquid: Hall of Fame
Pt. 4: Moses and...Magnetic Poetry?

Moses was a guy that lived by faith, and he not only "stepped onto liquid," but he also lead Israel through liquid as God parted the Red Sea for the Jews. As I read about Moses in Hebrews 11, I found the following verses to be particularly applicable to young people like myself who are in the process of "growing up":

24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

Years ago while visiting my brother, Bobby, and his wife, Christa, I found three insightful phrases written on their fridge by means of magnetic poetry. I have remembered them ever since, and reading about Moses brought them to mind.

trip not on the life of lust Moses certainly did not. He rejected the worldly ways of Egypt and chose suffering. Moses was obedient even when it was not comfortable or easy.

Society today is desparately trying to trip up young people on the life of lust. John tells us about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, and we know exaclty what he is talking about because we see it in the world every day. Immorality is not treated as taboo but as fun and exciting--the way to live. Society promotes pride as a good, even necessary virtue for success.

As Christians, we must avoid this life of lust, even though it will certainly lead to hardship. As we choose to go a different direction from the world, we will face persecution from without as well as within, as our flesh still seeks the things of the world. How can we press on in light of these struggles? Walk like Moses and...

run after the one The writers of Hebrews tells us that Moses "endured as seeing him who is invisible." He had his eyes fixed on the Lord. Likewise we are commanded to run with endurance and look to Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2) Jesus is our perfect high priest who knows our weaknesses and knows our struggles because he faced every temptation, yet he was without sin. He also is our Savior, the one who has set us free from the bondage of sin and the one who forgives us when we fall. And as we look to Jesus we must...

place your vision/stare on eternity Moses had a broad, eternal perspective. He knew the life that Egypt offered him was only full of passing pleasures that would fade away. He looked to the reward. Today, young people like myself must learn from Moses. We must realize that sin's charms are fleeting and many things that seem like "fun" now will only lead to suffering later. But if we choose wisely now, even though it may seem hard, we will eventually reap the benefits. (Galatians 6:7-10) We must also look beyond the future of this life toward the final goal of heaven and the time when Jesus Christ will return. We must realize that all the things we can see will eventually disappear, and the Lord and his people will be all that's left. "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17)

When Moses had grown up, he made the wise decision of living for the Lord and rejecting the pleasures of sin, even though it meant suffering. I am in that same process of growing up, and I pray that I will live by faith like Moses did, seeing the Invisible One and running after him forever.