Read: Hebrews 11:23-29; Acts 7:17-36
Hall of Fame baseball player Yogi Berra once remarked, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” As Moses attained the age of 40, he encountered this proverbial fork in the road.
One path, the familiar path, would have kept him in Egypt surrounded by all the comforts and luxuries of Pharaoh’s palace. Having been highly educated in Egyptian culture and wisdom, he proved himself influential in his speech and actions, potentially being groomed to be Pharaoh. The other path was unknown. It was grounded in his Hebrew upbringing, but for the most part this direction seemed fraught with risk and potential solitude.
We all recognize that life is filled with choices to make. The Bible says that Moses made a choice that certainly was not popular with some nor deemed wise by others. However, when examined closely, we find that he was rejecting the pleasures of sin and choosing to follow God obediently. As he rejected the temporal pleasures of the world, he did so by walking away from the familiar. “By faith he left Egypt” (Hebrews 11:27).
When we trust God, we find that his direction often differs from the world’s conventional wisdom. Moses left behind the familiar to follow God, even though he had no idea that 40 years later he would return to Egypt to lead Israel toward the Promised Land.
PRAYER PROMPT: O Lord, what do we need to leave behind, so that we can faithfully follow you? Amen.
Kevin Carrothers serves as director of missions for Salem South Baptist Association and IBSA President.