89. Thursday after Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.
Hebrews 11, 23-27. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
❦
To the eye of faith the invisible is as real as is the visible world; and infinitely more great and glorious, true and enduring. To be sure, the believer still lives in the visible world, but he lives yet more in the invisible; his heart belongs to the Lord, whom he does not see. In him he trusts, and him he loves with his whole soul. It is in the word that our faith finds and holds fast the Invisible One. They of old time had the promise of a Savior who should come; in this promise they trusted, and waited, and suffered affliction, and despised all things for his sake. Their faith was a power in them which governed their whole life. Look at Moses. He could have become a great man in Egypt, but he dwelt with One who was greater than Pharaoh; he saw greater splendors than those of Egypt. In exchange for the spiritual riches belonging to the people of God in the promise made to them concerning Christ, he was willing to give all temporal greatness, endure hardships, and do the will of God only. — Were the men of old disappointed? Were the parents of Moses put to shame in their faith, do you think? Who had found the rock; Moses, who clung to the Invisible One; or the king of Egypt, who trusted in his own earthly power? Never, at any time, has any man believed in the Lord, and been disappointed; none shall ever be put to shame who holds fast the word of the Lord.
Now, this word proclaims to us salvation in Christ from sin and death, and gives us promise of life eternal. By baptism and faith we have already entered the kingdom of God; “we who believe are come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem and the many thousands of angels.” We are passed from death unto life, and are already with God. But we do not and shall not see it as yet; we walk in faith, not seeing, but believing. We are pressed and worried by sin and the devil; the church is in distress, and the children of the world are in places of authority. We feel anguish and pain, have afflictions of body and soul, suffer persecution and reproach; but we obtain the victory by holding to the invisible and present God and Savior. We cannot, will not, shall not, fail to cling to his word; for he will hold us to it. Let the heaven and earth, then, pass away; the word remains forever.
Faithful God, give us grace to believe, in order that neither any affliction nor pleasure may drag us away from thy word. Keep us in and by this word while life endures; keep us in the word and faith until we die. Amen.*
In the faith, O make me steadfast;
Let not Satan, death or shame,
Of my confidence deprive me;
Lord, my refuge is thy name.
When the flesh inclines to ill,
Let thy Word prove stronger still.
[TLH 226, ELH 438; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.