God's People- Time in Egypt: Jochabed

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. ~ Exodus 2:1-4
What do you think was going through Moses' mother's mind here?

 For three months, she cared for her child. Hiding him when he cried. Hiding him when he cried even louder. Nursing him. Caring for him. Hiding him again.

 And then...

 It's hard I think to grasp the level of courage and faith displayed here. Everything in her actions speaks to both believing her child will be safe and yet also knowing his safety will not be with her.

 I think it is also telling that we are given the supplies she used to make her basket. Bitumen (according to a quick internet search) is heavy, thick and viscous. Pitch is think and sticky. By putting these on a papyrus basket, Moses' mother wanted to make sure he was safe.

 And then by putting him in the reeds, she wanted to make sure he was found. 

 She had both courage and faith that her son would be found and kept safe in a life she could not give him.

 Mothers today still go to great lengths with both courage and faith to ensure the safety of the children, whether they are migrant mothers looking for asylum for their children; mothers of addicts who fight for their children to become clean and sober; or even simply mothers who know it is time to let their child go and face their problems in this world on their own.

Letting go itself is something that takes courage and faith. Letting go of our children as they grow up brings its own kind of courage and faith.

 What was going through Jochabed's mind when she set that basket down the Nile?

 What goes through yours when you know it is time to let go?

 Prayer: God of promise: Give me courage and faith to face letting go, whether it is of my child, another loved one, a hurt, or a memory. And then move me forward in courage and faith to face what comes next. Amen.

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