I remember an old story about a farmer who found an eagle’s egg. He put it in with the chickens and when it hatched, the eagle began behaving like a chicken. It could see the other birds flying overhead but then would continue to scratch the ground, picking whatever food it could find.

One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is the difference between how we live our lives versus how we should be living our lives. It is understandable considering how difficult it is to live in a world where sin and temporary gratification are promoted as being the way to live. The pressure is to conform rather than become all God wants us to be. To live a life contrary to that seems ridiculous to the world. In the end, this often leads to persecution and rejection…

Have you ever tried to reason with someone and had them mock you and turn you down flat? When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh with the message from God: “Let my people go,” the demand was met with scorn and ridicule. Pharaoh said he didn’t know the Lord, wouldn’t obey His voice, and wouldn’t let Israel go.

What was Pharaoh’s problem? Actually, there were quite a few. He was proud because he was the most powerful man in the known world. He was defiant because even the Egyptian “gods” obeyed him. He was self-confident to a fault.

I’m sure it was beneath Pharaoh’s dignity to enter into a contest with this Lord who claimed to be the God of his slaves. Pharaoh was pretty certain that if push came to shove, he would be the victor. He had wealth in abundance. He had a standing army of thousands of well-trained warriors and hundreds of chariots.

And what did this Lord, about whom Moses spoke, have going for Him? He didn’t have anything! He had no money, no army… or at least what he could see. In Pharaoh’s eyes nothing could stand in his way!

This God of whom Pharaoh spoke so disparagingly was the Lord of hosts. This God of whom Pharaoh believed he was greater than was none other than the Creator of heaven and earth. Pharaoh basically told the Lord God Almighty He was nothing.

There was no way Pharaoh was going to win. Even when God displayed His power through the plagues, Pharaoh was unmoved.

Our world and culture does that everyday. We deny His existence and therefore deny His authority.

Now before we get too amazed at the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart and our world, we need to look inside ourselves. Perhaps the Lord has been speaking plainly to us through His Word and His servants, but we haven’t yet obeyed? I can’t think of anything more dangerous, more foolhardy, than to hear the voice of God and do nothing in response.

As Christians, we have a freedom and responsibility to follow God. That means we need to be in tune with His Spirit and Voice as we go through life. It is when we listen and obey that our lives become focused and built on a sturdy foundation.

Jesus said in Luke 6:46-49: ““Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

The challenge we face is to consistently live a life that to the world seems unrealistic, dull and a waste. The world reminds us of what we are missing: Gratification. Adrenaline rushes. Riches.

But we too are called to live an extraordinary life. It is a life lived separate and above the world. It may not have the splendor the world offers, but the eternal rewards definitely outweigh them.

So how is this extraordinary life experienced? It happens when we first surrender our lives fully to Christ, accepting Him as our Lord and Savior and continues day to day as we keep our hearts and lives focused on God. Is it challenging? Yes. But in the end, we can stand before God and hear Him say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant!