A Mother’s Love

A Series on Living by Faith

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

Exodus 2:1-10; Hebrews 11:23

 [Hebrews 11 is a recounting of the Heroes of the Faith. Even though they never saw what they had been promised, each person is commended for living “by faith”. At the end of these commendations, Hebrews 12 tells us, “Therefore, because you are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… throw off sin; run with perseverance; fix your eyes on Jesus”. In other words, live “by faith”.]

  

A mother’s love will lead her to defend her children no matter what the circumstance. I don’t have to look any further than my own Mom. The story is told in our family about the time when my Big Brother was driving her home to South Carolina from Michigan.

 

During the trip, my brother was stopped by a state highway patrolman for speeding. When the officer came to the window, my Mom leaned over, looked the officer in the eyes, and in no uncertain words, told him that he should be chasing real criminals, not innocent tax paying citizens.

 

Moses’ Mother was a lot like this. She actually risked her own life to protect him from Pharaoh. In order to understand how it came to this, we need to look at the back story.

 

Following the death of Joseph and his brothers, a new king of Egypt came to power and became the Pharaoh. He didn’t have the history with Joseph that the preceding Pharaoh did. Therefore, when the Israelites grew significantly in numbers, he saw them as a threat, and decided to enslave them, working them ruthlessly.

 

But the people of Israel continued to grow in numbers. So the Pharaoh told the Israelite midwives to kill all the baby boys. But the midwives feared God, and didn’t obey the Pharaoh’s orders. So then he gave the order to all of his people that, “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

 

It was into this world that Moses was born; it was into this world that his Mother defended him at the risk of her own life as mentioned in Exodus 2.

 

About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. ² The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months.       NLT

 

It was more than her parental instinct that led Moses’ Mother to hide him from the killing order of Pharaoh. It was her faith that the God of Abraham; the God of Isaac; the God of Jacob; would ultimately fulfill his promise. The promise that He would lead the Israelites back to the Promised Land. Little did she know that her son, Moses, would be called to lead them.

 

The example of Moses’ Mother is still applicable for us today. We make decisions every day by faith, not knowing how the Lord will use us in fulfilling His perfect plan; not knowing how He will use us to demonstrate His love, grace and faithfulness; not knowing what great results might come by our small acts of faith.