~reflections~musings~inspirations~insights~and life lessons learned by one who is
whole-heartedly, steadfastly, firmly in HIS grip~

Romans 1:6 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..."


Saturday, December 6, 2008

A Mother's Anguish Collides With Her Faith

Think back to the day you saw your child for the first time. You looked into that tiny face how long? Fifteen minutes, Twenty minutes…half an hour before you counted all the fingers and toes? You tried to figure out who the baby looked most like as you focused on the nose, the ears, the eyes…the hands and feet. O and the virtually indescribable feeling only a mother who just gave birth has…the rush of relief mixed with hope, love and joy tempered with a smidge of fear. Exhaustion overcome by expectation and the excitement of the sheer magnitude of experiencing this miracle of life.

Now imagine a law has just gone into effect that this very baby had to be put to death…thrown into a river and drowned. That at any moment he could be stripped from your arms and there was nothing you could do about it. This is exactly what Moses’ mother was facing.

Exodus 1:22“Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: ‘Every boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.’

My ‘mother’s heart’ leads me to imagine her pacing and praying…while fear, sadness, and worry mesh with the unconditional love a mother has for her child. With tears streaming, bouncing and rocking the baby boy “Look at him! How can we throw him into the Nile? I cannot do it! I won’t do it!” The only conclusion: to keep him, care for him and to hide him for as long as she can.

When hiding him became impossible she mustered all she had, stepped out on faith, and did the only thing she knew would keep him alive a little longer. With hope and trepidation in her heart and a prayer on her lips she began working on the basket that would protect him. And as his big sister kept watch the mother slipped her young son among the reeds along the banks of the great river.

Exodus 2:1-4 "Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds, along the Nile. His sister, stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. "

Exodus 2:5-9 “Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said. Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?’ “Yes, go,” she answered. And the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.’ So the woman took the baby and nursed him.”

What happens next is clearly the hand of God. The baby is plucked from the waters edge not by your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill Egyptian. It was Pharaoh’s daughter! And who just happened to be there…standing in the shadows…with a suggestion for a nurse but the baby’s own sister. The Bible does not mention protocol or whether this little Hebrew girl was afraid to approach the princess. However, she seized her God-given opportunity and not only provided care for her baby brother but a blessing for the entire family!

Can you imagine the excitement as Miriam ran to find her mother and tell her what happened? “The princess has found the baby and she wants to keep him for her own! She needs someone to take care of him, and she told me to find a nurse! Hurry, Mother, hurry...RUN!”

Now imagine Jocohebed’s reaction. Can you see her clapping her hands, putting down what she was doing, jumping up and down a heart full of praise and worship as she heads out the door to meet the person who has rescued her son? Realization dawning that in just a short time she will once again be with the son she thought she had lost forever.

God used this mother’s courageous act of saving and hiding her baby to begin the plan of rescuing His people. She had no idea at that time what God was doing but He was definitely at work! He really doesn’t need that much from us to accomplish His plan does he?

When faced with a situation that seems humanly impossible to overcome instead of focusing on the predicament we should concentrate on God and His power, trusting Him for the way out. That is all He needs from us.

Revelation 3:7b-8 “What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”

10 comments:

  1. "When faced with a situation that seems humanly impossible to overcome instead of focusing on the predicament we should concentrate on God and His power, trusting Him for the way out. That is all He needs from us." All I can say is Amen to that...it is just that easy....and just that hard. Have a good Sunday. Strider

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  2. Our God is an awesome God!!!

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  3. Good devotional for me this morning. Hope you have a good week. Thanks for your kind words and prayers on my behalf.

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  4. When I reflect back at the miracles God has done in my life, my family's life, I weep - like right now - His protection is awesome.

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  5. The trust Jocohebed had in our Father is an amazing lesson for us, as our faith grows, so must our trust.

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  6. Our God is truly an Awesome God! ♥ ∞

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  7. What a great post! Your are a wonderful writer. Please drop over to my blog. You have been given an award. You are so special to me!

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  8. I've read the story of Moses many times, but never looked at it quite like this. Beautiful perspecitive and post!
    Cynthia

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  9. I really admire your military service and you faithful dedication. I see your optimism and hope but...

    you wrote on a notehr blog:
    "We are either sold out or we are a hold out. When we are sold out, the road is really easier than it seems... for we "know whom we have believed and He is able to keep that which I've committed to Him unto that day!""

    --I hope you don't mind me writing this here, feel free to delte it, but that seems too simplistic. I used to think that too but realise now that there are two natures living at one time.

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  10. Mmmm...I like your blog. I've visited quite often as a matter of fact.

    Here is my rather lengthly response. I pray it sheds some light and invite imput from others who read and comment on this blog regularly.

    Thanks for your comment on my blog. I will not delete it and plan to address it in the comment section of my blog as well but thought I would respond directly to you first.

    There are definitely two natures living at one time. It is the age old battle of good verses evil... our human (sin) nature against the nature and spirit of God. The Bible is full of stories of victory and defeat in this battle battle of wills...His will or ours. It began with Eve when she succumbed to the temptation to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

    Ephesians 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against, powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

    It is our human nature to live our lives to satisfy ourselves but it is His will that we live a life pleasing to Him. I have been on both sides of the fence...and believe me the grass is greener on this side! God definitely gives us all we need to be satisfied, fullfilled...He supplies our every need, fills us with joy and love.

    If you read my post titled; Testimony in Rhyme you will know a bit more about how my faith has been borne out. It is only the Spirit of God who allowed me to forgive, forget, and move on...

    Galations 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

    Simply put... I have to walk by my faith, and live by my faith...if it were not for that gift of salvation, that gift of forgiveness...I would be a worthless mess, carrying all the burdens of my past mistakes, the consenquences of my actions that not only hurt the people I love but myself as well. Once I became sold out to God, put Him first...started loving Him with all I am...wth my whole heart...above all others and anything else...the blessings, assurance that I can face anything...get through anything...for when God is with us...who can be against us? The only way I can explain it is that I became complete...whole...living the life I was born to live.

    The concept is easy...the task not quite so easy. It is only with faith in God and trust in Him that we are able to live out a life of simple faith....this faith of a child.

    2nd Corinthians 5:7 "We walk by faith, not by sight. And belive me sometimes we have to just sit still and tell ourselves, "I believe, I believe" He loves us more than our own parents loves us, His love for us is unconditional and greater than any earthly love we can experience.

    Does this mean that bad things don't happen to good people? NO! I knew a woman who was an anchor here... very popular, a local star actually...a very good Christian woman. She was brutally raped and beaten and spent a week in a coma before she died. Why? Only God knows. What we know is the man that they arrested for her attack...has done it before and it went unreported...his capture will now keep other women safe.

    Does it mean that we will not still slip up and sin? NO...we are human but as we seek Him and learn more about Him through His word, and teachings... we grow closer and trust Him to guide us. He forgives us...He forgave us once and for all when He died on the cross...He died for all who would belive and trust in Him. The deeper the relationship with Him the stronger our faith.

    I know it is a long winded response and I apologize. There is so much to say about the simplicity and difficulty of this concept. If you have other questions you can e-mail me at grannakyzer@yahoo.com Feel free to IM me at that address and we can have a discussion.

    I pray that God richly blesses you. Thanks again, for your comment.

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Thanks for stopping by...I look forward to seeing you again!