Sunday, August 09, 2009

Seeing Him Who is Invisible

In Hebrews Chapter 11 we find the Faith Hall Of Fame so to speak of the Bible. Almost all the great heroes and heroines of faith receive at least a passing notice in this chapter, with some being only alluded to and others named with more details of their lives given. Part of what is said of Moses is as follows:

Heb 11:24-27 "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible."

When we compare this little summary of this part of Moses' life with what we see in Exodus 2 and Acts 7:20-29 it appears that Moses had known that he was called to be a deliverer and in helping a fellow Israelite and killing the Egyptian, he thought it would be apparent to his people. It wasn't though and he had to flee and spend forty years in the wilderness (incidently if you follow Stephen's speech in Acts 7 it basically is showing the Jews how they have always resisted all the leaders God sent them from Moses right through until they even chose a murderer instead of Christ).

Moses must have been deeply discouraged, nothing he had attempted had worked out as he thought. He had abandoned all the earthly power and prestige that he had to be with the people of God and then they had rejected him. Yet he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

When we have had disappointments and discouragements and wonder if God's promises will come to pass when it seems impossible we too must endure by seeing Him who is invisible. It is faith that enables us to see Him. It is faith that enables us to continue in spite of the difficulties that all believers will face to some degree.

Jeremiah wondered if God hadn't somehow tricked him in having him prophesy to people who had no interest in what he said (Jer. 20:7). However he still was faithful to speak God's word.

When we see Him who is invisible then there is really only one option, obedience. Yes, you can disobey and it would make life, at least temporarily, easier for you, but you would have disobeyed God and if you have a consciousness of Him it is hard to do that. Thus it is faith that causes us to carry on even when we don't like the options that the path gives us. The only options are either to go forward and trust God even though we do not see how things will work out, or quit, which would lead us out of immediate difficulties but bring us into far greater eternal ones.

This knowledge of the eternal realities is a seeing of Him who is invisible. It is only possible by faith and only continues as we exercise that faith and do not give up. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Praise God!

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