RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

It’s often the case that a man of God achieves greatness because he had parents of faith. Such was the case with Moses, who is considered one the great men of all time. Yet he could never have become what he was without the prayers and faith of godly parents. The Bible says, “By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict” (Hebrews 11:23).
The scene was tragic and terrible. During the time of Moses’ mother’s pregnancy, Pharaoh had ordered the death of all newborn Hebrew males. Throughout Egypt, the cries of Hebrew parents screamed toward heaven. Babies were slaughtered mercilessly. But Moses’ parents did not fear. Instead they hid the babe for three months, then placed him in a papyrus basket coated with tar. They placed the baby in the crocodile-infested Nile River. The rest is history. Moses would grow up to become the greatest leader in all of Hebrew history. He would be God’s man to deliver the children of Israel from bondage. Yet in all of the  attention to God using Moses, the faith of his parents is often overlooked.
To a large extent, Moses achieved greatness because of the faith of his parents. They “believed God.” Their faith was Moses’ first step toward his destiny. Several characteristics stand out in the faith of Moses’ parents. First, they saw God’s plan for his life. They refused to look at their circumstances. Instead, the Bible says, they “saw that he was no ordinary child.” There was something special about him, and they knew it. They refused to allow the world around them to destroy him. Rather, they stood in faith, believing that God had a plan for their son’s life. They saw by faith.
We shouldn’t walk by sight. As followers of Christ we must understand that we walk and live by faith. Faith allows us to see things others cannot. We see God’s plan for our children, and we can stand in prayer for them — just as Moses’ parents stood by faith. Faith enables us to see beyond the circumstances — and into the heart of God for our children.
But Moses’ parents also refused to succumb to the fears of their horrific circumstances. The Bible says, “they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” We live in a generation where our children face severe circumstances. The negative effect of the media on their lives is incredible. Drugs are rampant. Teen pregnancies are skyrocketing. The HIV/AIDS virus is killing the young, just as Pharaoh’s soldiers were killing the Hebrew babies. But Christian parents  needn’t be afraid. We can look to heaven and see God’s plan for our children. We must not live by fear of the circumstances, but by faith in a mighty God.
My wife and I dedicated both of our children to God while they were still in the womb. They both came to know Christ at an early age. Both went through the typical youthful rebellion. At times, my wife and I wept over the sins of our children. But we have seen that God is faithful. The Spirit of God within us is greater than all of the world’s forces that try to mold our children into what would destroy them. I’ve learned this one thing: Parents don’t have to live by fear. They can live by faith, and God will do what He has promised. He has done it in our children, and He will also fulfill His promise in yours.
Finally, Moses’ parents acted by faith. Many people have the mistaken notion that faith is passive. We just trust God and don’t have to do anything else. I find that view contrary to Scripture. When we read Hebrews 11 (the great hall of faith), we see men and women who lived solely by faith. Yet they worked. Faith works. There’s no conflict between faith and works. In fact the Bible says, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17).

Moses’ parents didn’t sit around twiddling their thumbs saying, “God, we’re trusting You. Save our child.” No! They built a little basket and covered it with tar. They released that basket — and their baby — to God’s care. They did their part, and God did His. God’s part was miraculous. Their part was hard work. They took a risk and trusted their baby to God. God took a child and made him royalty. They placed him in the river. God placed him in the palace of Pharaoh. They cried. God answered.
I believe there will be a lot of surprises when we get to heaven. I’m convinced that one of those surprises will be seeing how many great men and women of God were nurtured by godly, praying parents. The making of the man or woman of God often begins with the tears of a mother in her private place of prayer. Many men of God are where they are today because of the prayers of a holy woman of God yesterday.