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)
Pharaoh had commanded that all male Hebrew children be
killed. I’ve no doubt that Amram and Jochebed were only one couple among thousands
who tried to hide their baby boys. They very likely had talked to people who
told of what had worked, what hadn’t, and who had betrayed parents. I wonder
how many mothers found ways to put their boys into the care of Egyptians.
Jochebed had chutzpah. I don’t think she put Moses into a basket in the Nile on the day, at the time that she did by coincidence. I’m not even saying that it wasn’t a coincidence because God was in control. I mean that I suspect she knew the Pharaoh’s daughter liked to hang out there, along with her entourage of women, at least some of whom would have been of child-bearing age. Of all the people in Egypt, who better than someone connected to the princess to adopt her little boy? The princess could protect whoever adopted him. And how better than to have the Nile, worshipped as the source of life to the Egyptians?
I’m not saying Jochebed didn’t demonstrate faith. I’m saying it wasn’t blind, stupid faith. It wasn’t a whim. I don’t believe it was a coincidence at all. But it still took faith. The basket could have sunk. It could have capsized. It could have gotten caught in the bulrushes. The princess and her entourage might have decided to not go to the river that day. They might not see or hear the basket. They might not care. They might have carried out the Pharaoh’s edict. It’s even possible that this wasn’t Moses’ first trip in a basket. They could have tried before and not been noticed. Miriam may have carried him home. We odds weren’t in Jochebed’s favor, or Moses’. Still, Jochebed chose to take the chance, and to trust that God would work out the situation.
And God did. Pharaoh’s daughter knew they’d found a Hebrew child. The fact that a Hebrew girl was conveniently near and conveniently offered to go find a woman to act as wet nurse. And who else could have stood up to the Pharaoh? Who else would be likely to even want to but a daughter. “Kids have no respect!” after all.
What course of action looms before you? What crisis? Jochebed did all she could. She prayed, planned, and prepared. She did what she could to improve the odds, and when the time came, she let go, and let God.
Where are you in that process? It seems to me that I’m not good at the pray, plan, prepare part. I tend to be convinced of failure, so why invest the time, talent, or treasure? I guess it’s time to start checking out where people congregate along the river, and building a basket….
Jochebed had chutzpah. I don’t think she put Moses into a basket in the Nile on the day, at the time that she did by coincidence. I’m not even saying that it wasn’t a coincidence because God was in control. I mean that I suspect she knew the Pharaoh’s daughter liked to hang out there, along with her entourage of women, at least some of whom would have been of child-bearing age. Of all the people in Egypt, who better than someone connected to the princess to adopt her little boy? The princess could protect whoever adopted him. And how better than to have the Nile, worshipped as the source of life to the Egyptians?
I’m not saying Jochebed didn’t demonstrate faith. I’m saying it wasn’t blind, stupid faith. It wasn’t a whim. I don’t believe it was a coincidence at all. But it still took faith. The basket could have sunk. It could have capsized. It could have gotten caught in the bulrushes. The princess and her entourage might have decided to not go to the river that day. They might not see or hear the basket. They might not care. They might have carried out the Pharaoh’s edict. It’s even possible that this wasn’t Moses’ first trip in a basket. They could have tried before and not been noticed. Miriam may have carried him home. We odds weren’t in Jochebed’s favor, or Moses’. Still, Jochebed chose to take the chance, and to trust that God would work out the situation.
And God did. Pharaoh’s daughter knew they’d found a Hebrew child. The fact that a Hebrew girl was conveniently near and conveniently offered to go find a woman to act as wet nurse. And who else could have stood up to the Pharaoh? Who else would be likely to even want to but a daughter. “Kids have no respect!” after all.
What course of action looms before you? What crisis? Jochebed did all she could. She prayed, planned, and prepared. She did what she could to improve the odds, and when the time came, she let go, and let God.
Where are you in that process? It seems to me that I’m not good at the pray, plan, prepare part. I tend to be convinced of failure, so why invest the time, talent, or treasure? I guess it’s time to start checking out where people congregate along the river, and building a basket….
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