Scripture

And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

Observation

Generations pass by and the Israelites prosper in the land of Egypt. The king becomes afraid of them, fearing they are a threat to national security. He brings in a regime of forced labour for the Israelites and treats them harshly. Still they prosper in adversity.

The midwives are commanded to kill any newborn baby boy, but they refuse to carry out this order. When questioned about this, the midwives say that the mothers give birth too quickly. So the king orders all Egyptians to throw any Hebrew baby boy into the Nile.

One of the Hebrew women gives birth to a son and manages to hide him for three months. She gets a wicker basket, makes it water proof and floats the boy in the water. Pharaoh’s daughter comes to bathe as the baby’s sister looks on. She discovers the baby, and the sister offers to get a woman to nurse the baby for her. So the baby’s mother is paid by Pharaoh’s daughter to nurse her own baby, now named Moses.

Application

Recently we have seen many scenes of violence and oppression in the world. People might ask “Where is God?” This story shows that God is working even in the midst of seemingly hopeless situations.

God blesses those who remain faithful in impossible situations. The women of Israel were determined to bring life and not death, despite the opposition of the king. And God blessed them, even giving the midwives families of their own as they refused the evil demands of a despot.

Whatever our situation, we need to be asking ourselves every day, “What is God wanting me to do here and now?” “How can I bring life rather than death?”

Prayer

Lord please help me to be light in the darkness today, life in a culture of death, a faithful follower of Jesus. Amen.