Thursday 25 April 2013

In a Basket


And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.  And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:1-10



Today I have been thinking about this story a lot. Little A brought it over to me before nap time to read to her as we cuddled up on the couch.  We have a great retelling of this story done by Arch books, the pictures and narrative are wonderful and really captivated her. 

I was totally taken aback today while reading it. It brought tears to my eyes. 

I have never had this reaction when thinking about Moses in his basket among the reeds. But today, maybe because of the way the book tells it and that I now have a son and look at it from the eyes of the mother, today it really hit me. 

I feel for Moses' mother. That poor woman. She would have been heartbroken. How horrible to carry a baby for nine months in fear of finding out its a boy. Delivering said boy under threat of murder by the Pharaoh's men. Then hiding the boy that you love, putting your whole family in danger, and living in daily fear that your precious baby will be killed. 

Can you imagine the love and care that she would have put into that basket?

How many tears wear cried as she prepared it and wrapped her baby?

Can you possibly imagine putting your child into the river to "keep him safe"?

Miriam played it so cool asking the Pharaoh's daughter if she wanted a Hebrew nurse and bringing her mother to care for the baby.  Moses' mom would have been so excited to get to care for that little boy and raise him as her own for as long as she could.  

A huge weight would have been lifted. The heaviness of death that had loomed over them would be gone and she could just enjoy her little boy. 

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
John 10:27-30


For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5


I have been greatly enjoying my little boy lately, he is such a boy and I love that he is so completely different than his sister.   Today especially, I gave him many extra kisses and hugs after thinking about Moses and his mother. God truly did take care of them in all that they went through. God marks out our paths and helps us walk through it. He is good and faithful to those that follow him. 

Blessings
My little E, at about 8 weeks. Only a month younger than Moses would have been in the basket. 



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