Priorities

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward."

-Hebrews 11:24-26-

I was doing my devotion this morning and I read the verse above. I'm always amazed at the kind of faith Moses had. The very fact that his life was set for him, Pharaoh had already made plans for him. Moses was to become the next Pharaoh...what an honour! A position of esteem, influence, power and wealth. That's the kind of life anyone would love to trade places with, but not Moses. He did the unthinkable and unpredictable. He chose to suffer with God's people rather than enjoy a lavish lifestyle at the throne. Don't get me wrong, the moral of the story is certainly not that God disapproves of riches or authority, the Bible makes that clear, but God had another purpose for Moses. He wanted Moses to be the one to lead the Israelites out of captivity. Ultimately, it wasn't about the riches or the power...but rather a question of priorities. Was Moses willing to follow God and His leading no matter what or was he going to chose to gratify his own ambitions? The real importance behind Moses' actions is that it showed where his heart really ways...it unveiled his true priorities. Had he been focused on moving up in the world or satisfying a thirst for money and power, there is no way that he would traded all that for dusty feet, worn out sandals and a really miserable bunch of Israelites. Instead, Moses had a heart that was submitted to God, he purposed in his heart to go wherever God sends him and this is why, through the power of God, Moses was able to turn his back onto the grand life that he could have chosen. 

As I reflected on this passage, it made me think about myself, my own life. Where are my priorities? What would I have done if I was in Moses' shoes? In fact, bringing it even closer to home...what if I had the opportunity of a lifetime, what if I got a job offer with an elite company that payed a substantial salary, but I would have to compromise one of God's principles or this job is not what God has planned for me. Would I choose Christ or as Hebrews puts it "the passing pleasures of sin"? Christ needs to be the central motive of our hearts. We need to look past our narrow view and see the big picture...choosing Christ is choosing eternal life, it is choosing to serve the one who gave everything for us. 

If Christ is our priority, we will be willing to give up everything and anything for Him. How about you, where does your heart stand? Remember that we can choose to put God first in our lives and He will give us the power to make these important decisions.

Have a blessed day!

Nina :)