0185. Moses Refused

Moses Refused

"By faith Moses, when he had come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter" (Heb_11:24).

The story of Moses’ hiding by his parents in the bulrushes is very familiar. How he was discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh and taken to the palace; how his own mother was chosen to nurse the child; how he was reared in the luxury of the king’s home, educated according to the best method of his day; how he became very prominent both in his wisdom and in his leadership of the armies of Egypt.

There came a day, however, when Moses stood at the parting of the ways. He knew that he was, in reality, a son of Israel and the groanings of his people weighed heavily upon his heart. Could he go on as the acknowledged son of Pharaoh’s daughter, living in ease and comfort, and protected from every ill; while his own people were being trodden down under the iron hell of oppression?

The Word of God gives Moses’ decision: "He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter."

It may not always be easy to say "no." And yet Christ definitely said: "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it." In order to follow Christ fully, one must "Deny himself, and take up his cross," and follow Christ.

Illustration: My mother has often told me how, when I was a little fellow, my father took me in his arms, and walking back and forth over the floor he sang:

"You’re starting, my boy, on life’s journey

Along the great highway of life,

You’ll meet with a thousand temptations,

Each city with evil is rife;

The world is a stage of excitement,

There’s danger wherever you go,

But if you are tempted, in weakness,

Have courage my boy to say ‘no.’"

We should live with eternal "no" to sin and self and satan, and with one eternal "yes" to God.

Illustration: A college boy was hearing strongly the call of God to leave all and follow the Lord Jesus. A Christian was pressing upon him the need of immediate decision. The young man weighing carefully the tremendous pull that the world had upon him finally turned to the Christian and said, "My dear sir, I’m not man enough."

But Moses was man enough. It was when he had come to years that he said "no" to Egypt, and in more than one sense he was every inch a man.

Illustration: It is said that Bob Taylor, when he was first elected to the legislature of his State, went to Nashville with a large mortgage hanging over the farm where his widowed mother lived. A certain matter was before the legislature and Bob Taylor received a letter enclosing a check for one thousand dollars, with the simple words, "We expect you to vote ‘no’ to-morrow."

The battle was a hard one. The thousand dollars would go far toward lifting the mortgage; the widowed mother would be relieved–all, for simply voting "no," when, otherwise he would have voted "yes."

Bob Taylor sat in his seat in the legislature; the roll was being called; his decision must soon be made. Finally, his name was called. Bob Taylor tore the letter from his pocket and throwing it and the enclosed check toward the speaker’s desk, he cried, "I vote, ‘yes.’"

That night, with a sense of duty done and a conscience at ease, he slept in his room at a rather cheap boarding house. Suddenly he was awakened by a big crowd surging the street below his window. They were calling his name. Hurriedly dressing, he stepped forth on the veranda, and the crowd shouted: "Three cheers for the man who wouldn’t sell his vote."

May God grant to each young man and woman the power to say "no" to sin, and "yes" to God.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR