Faith in trying times – Part 1

These are trying times and we need to live by faith. Yet, there is nothing unique about experiencing trying times. There was a time Israel was under captivity and servitude in the land of Egypt. They went there without knowing that there would be oppression or difficulty. The Egyptian midwives were commanded to kill every son but save every daughter born by Israelite women. “And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive”.

Pharaoh never wanted any future for the nation of Israel. By killing every male child, he wanted to assimilate the women into the Egyptian culture and community. It was at this period that Moses’ father and mother got married and gave birth to him. Theirs was a decision of faith. As they got married by faith, they raised their children by faith. Although they were surrounded by idolatry in Egypt, they brought their children up in the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In difficult times, we can still raise our children to follow the path of righteousness. We must not allow the surrounding culture or religion to influence the upbringing of our children. The family of Moses lived, walked, planned and did everything by faith.

How we react to trials and persecutions depend on our faith. Difficulties will either crush or stir up the giant in us. Some people’s reaction is manifested through: (1) Fear. They may refuse to go to church, read their Bibles or mention the name of Jesus. It is fear that makes them compromise with the wicked and surrender their birthright. (2) Falsehood. Such people get whatever they want by means of falsehood. (3) Faint-heartedness. They react to persecution by becoming timid and tired. (4) Frowardness. They are people who are not dependable because there is no faith in them. (5) Foolishness. They cannot confess Christ and stand for Him in the public. (6) Forgetfulness. They easily forget their root and the commitment they made to the Lord. (7) Faithlessness. When people allow challenges and difficulties to hinder them from abiding by their conviction, it is faithlessness. Whether at home, school, office, marketplace, etc., we must live by faith; we must declare to the world who we are.

At a time in Egypt, Moses did not have faith in God; he acted like the Egyptians. He wanted to be a great political leader because he had learnt that the Egyptians oppressed and killed his people. But a moment came in his life, when he knew that what people thought or said about him did not matter. He realised that he had to place his conviction firmly in the Almighty God. This was when he got converted. With his transformation and encounter with the Lord, he was able to stand before Pharaoh to demand for the freedom of the children of Israel.

When a man becomes born again, he begins to walk in newness of life. He does not give room to the old lifestyle anymore. He becomes bold by reason of his justification and transformation from being a sinner to a saint. And by having “a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men”, he is no longer a slave to any man. He manifests courage to obey the Lord and nothing can hinder him from entering the kingdom of God.

Further Reading (King James Version): Exodus 1:12,13,22; 2:1,2; Micah 6:4; Proverbs 29:25; 25:26; 26:25; 24:10; 2:12-14; 24:9; 2:17; 1:24-32; Deuteronomy 32:20; Exodus 2:11,12; Romans 3:23,24; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Acts 24:16; Romans 5:9.