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| Moses: Discovered by the River |
Generations had passed since Joseph’s family settled in Egypt. What started as refuge had become captivity. The Israelites had grown into a mighty people — but now they were slaves, ruled by Pharaohs who no longer remembered Joseph or showed kindness to his descendants. These kings feared the strength of the Hebrews and sought to suppress them through harsh labor and cruel decrees.
One of the most devastating commands came like a storm over Goshen: every newborn Hebrew boy was to be cast into the Nile. A mother’s joy would become a mother’s grief — and the waters of the river, a place of mourning.
Jochebed’s Courage:
But in a humble home near the Nile, a woman named Jochebed gave birth to a son. She looked into his eyes and saw more than fear — she saw destiny. For three months, she hid him, cradling him between hope and danger. When hiding was no longer possible, she did what only a mother of great faith could do: she placed her baby in a handcrafted ark of bulrushes, waterproofed it with pitch, and released it into the reeds by the river’s edge.
She did not abandon him. She entrusted him to God.
A Princess’s Compassion:
At the very spot where Jochebed hoped for mercy, Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe. She spotted the small ark, opened it, and was moved by the cries of the child within. Though the law condemned him, her heart embraced him.
From the shadows, Miriam — the baby’s sister — stepped forward and offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. By divine arrangement, Jochebed was called to nurture her own son, now under royal protection.
He was named Moses, meaning “drawn out of the water.” Though he would grow up in the palace of Egypt, his earliest lessons came from a mother who whispered truths about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
From Palace to Exile:
Moses never forgot where he came from. As he grew, he saw the oppression of his people — and one day, witnessing a cruel beating of a Hebrew slave, he intervened. The Egyptian taskmaster died by his hand. Though his intentions may have been just, the consequences were severe.
Moses fled Egypt and lived in the wilderness of Midian, far from the wealth and privilege of Pharaoh’s court. There, among shepherds and solitude, he began a new life — but Heaven had not forgotten him.
A Call from the Fire:
One day, Moses encountered a bush aflame — yet not consumed. From within the fire, God called his name. This wasn’t a vision or a dream. It was a holy encounter.
God chose Moses — the former prince, the fugitive, the shepherd — to return and lead His people out of bondage. Moses protested, doubted, and wrestled with his own inadequacy. But God affirmed him: “I will be with you.”
Legacy of a Servant:
Moses would go on to confront Pharaoh, call down plagues, part the Red Sea, and deliver the Ten Commandments. He would guide the Israelites through deserts and doubts, acting as both prophet and leader.
Though he made mistakes — striking the rock in anger, growing weary of the people’s complaints — Moses remained faithful. In the end, God allowed him to glimpse the Promised Land from a mountaintop, a reminder that while the journey was hard, the promise remained sure.
Insight:
Moses’ story reminds us that God uses imperfect people in extraordinary ways. His path wasn’t easy or clean — it was marked by fear, failure, and faith. Yet through it all, he answered the call. He grew from being rescued… to becoming the rescuer.
Share Your Thoughts:
1. How has God used the difficult parts of your story to shape your purpose?
2. Have you ever felt unworthy — yet chosen anyway?
3. Let’s reflect together in the comments.
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