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When I reflect upon this story, I often think of the cute, animated movies that I’ve seen regarding Moses. He’s chubby, smiling, and wrapped up ina sparkling, white blanket. He floats peacefully down the river until a beautiful woman picks him up and calls him her own. What a beautiful picture, right?
What we don’t see, is his mothercrying out in anguish for her newborn son. Can you imagine giving birth, rocking that baby, soothing his cries only to give him away 3 months later? He was probably wrapped in rags, and placed in a basket. I’m sure the baby cried out for his mother as she placed him in the basket. The pain and fear she must have felt as she placed her baby in the water must have been excruciating. She obviously had enough faith in God to entrust her child to him, but, as we all know, fear is difficult to drive out. Sometimes, just as Moses’ mother did, we need to recognize our fear and our faith at the same time. These two emotions can co-exist if we keep in mind that our faith must always be greater.
Because Moses’ mother was able to see her child every day, we may think to ourselves, “well, it worked out for her in the end.” Yes, this is true, but, she had a front row seat to him becoming someone else's boy. We’ve all experienced the pain of seeing someone have something (or someone) that we so desperately want for ourselves. This child, that she fought so hard to save, now belonged to the same family that vowed to kill every newborn son. The sacrifices that she made for her son are undeniable. What is also undeniable, though, is her sheer trust in the Lord. I have to admit, I have been through far less than this woman, and my faith has been shaken a number of times. I have cried out in pain and anger. There have been times when I was giving God the silent treatment because I couldn’t handle life at that moment. I can’t help but wonder where she found the strength to continue on each day as she did. She was truly a living testament of faith for Moses and for us.
The state of the country they lived inat the time gives me anxiety. The desperation, the stress and fear, the physical pain the Hebrew’s endured is palatable. They were slaves, and were treated as such. The treatment they received while living in Egypt would be enough to break one’s spirit. However, the Hebrew’s kept the faith and continued to work for the life they were promised by God, not the one they were currently living. Because of their faith, and the faith of Moses’ mother, the Hebrew’s were eventually lead out of Egypt under the guidance of Moses.
When we are at our darkest hour and we have to make challenging, sometimes unthinkable choices, our faith can wane. But, we can imitate Moses’ mother, and become a living testament of faith. We can show those around us that even when life beats us down, the Love of Christ will always, always, raise us up.
Reflect: Reflect upon a time that you had to give something up that you loved. How did you feel, who did you turn to for comfort during this difficult time? Think about his mother’s love and faith. How can you incorporate elements of her love and faith into your everyday life?
Act: Throughout the week, look for ways that you can make small sacrifices that would benefit others. An example would be letting the person behind you in line go first, or paying for someone’s coffee at the coffee shop.
