In The Waiting Game Part 1, we looked at Moses and those 40 years he spent tending sheep in the hills of Midian. All that while, God was putting his plan into place. He was going to deliver Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and he was going to use Moses to do it. By the way, why Moses? Of all the people to use, why choose a fugitive murderer? Here’s why:
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. (Hebrews 11:24-26)
His faith and his love for God were the only qualifications Moses had and they were the only qualifications he needed.
When times are tough, it’s easy to quit (or at least want to quit), but God looks for faithfulness. Faith is not just about believing in something; faith is always evidenced. The verses from Hebrews tell us exactly what evidence of faith there was in the life of Moses – he forsook the pleasures of Egypt and he aligned himself with the Israelites. Hebrews also tells us about the evidence of faith in Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and many others.
In the waiting game, God looks for those who faithfully persevere despite hardships. Not only will he reward your faith, but he will sustain you in those times of difficulty. If you’re in the midst of hardship, keep going. Keep serving, keep fellowship and above all, keep close to God. The apostle Paul – a man who was set apart for a life of suffering (see Acts 9:10-16) wrote, “…let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9).
Next time, we’ll look at the way in which God sustains us while we wait upon him.