A MOTHER'S FAITH

"When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it out among the reeds along the bank of the Nile." [Exodus 2:3]

Mothers Day is a time we can think about and celebrate what it means to be a mother - the nurturing love, the loving care, support and protection they give us: and I have seen that once you become a mother yourself, your appreciation for your own mother increases dramatically.

Many times a mother gives everything and it can feel like no one notices. But God sees it all. He see you when you wake up before dawn, when you pray silently for your children, when you keep going even when you are exhausted! You are valuable, not because of what you do, but because of who you are in Christ. Even if it feels like no one appreciates your efforts, your faithfulness doesn't go unnoticed in heaven. Every small act of love matters.

On this Mothering Sunday, the story of a remarkable mother, Jochebed, who laid baby Moses in a basket and placed him among the reeds on the Nile, reminds us of the sacrifices made by mothers through the ages. She did not know what the outcome of her actions would be. She did not know if hiding him in a basket and placing him in a river was going to be a success in protecting him - but she did it anyway.

Moses was born during difficult times. Imagine the anguish of a mother giving birth under such oppressive conditions. Jochebed's decision to defy Pharaoh wasn't made lightly. Jochebed showed courage and took action but also trusted God with her child and surrendered to God's plan. This kind of surrender echoes the prayer of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:11, who vowed to give her child to the LORD all the days of his life. Entrusting a child to God does not mean passive indifference; it is an act of worship and trust that God's plan is always better.

Whilst this woman of faith and action trusted in God's sovereignty she also took deliberate steps to protect her son. Her courage and ingenuity were vital in God's unfolding plan. Courage isn't developed through confidence in our own strength; it's revealed in our faith that Christ is with us through every storm. If He is with us then we can weather the trial.

The significance of her actions extend beyond her immediate family. By preserving Moses' life, Jochebed played a pivotal role in the deliverance of Israel. Her life illustrates the principle that God often uses what the culture of the day may consider weak and overlooked to accomplish His purposes.

Then we see a display of God's grace and providence when Moses is rescued by Pharaoh's daughter who had compassion for him; even knowing that he was a Hebrew baby. The irony is profound: the very household that sought to destroy Moses becomes the instrument of his preservation and upbringing. After entrusting her son to God, Jochebed was blessed to be given the opportunity to nurse and raise him during his earliest and most formative years. It was under Jochebed's care that he would first learn of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Proverbs 22:6 affirms the importance of such a foundation:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Godly motherhood is one of the most sacred and powerful ministries in the world.

The family is where mothers pour into their children with love, words of affirmation and God's word. God calls us to train our children and set them on the right path and teach them to lead a Godly life.

From Jochebed, we learn:

• to choose faith over fear during impossible circumstances.

• to choose courageous surrender to God's plan.

• to take calculated action. By hiding Moses, building a basket and placing it where it would be found, Jochebed demonstrates that faith is often accompanied by wisdom and planning.

• to utilise the time we have to nurture and train the children God gives us.

• to cling onto hope in difficult times.

Jochebed demonstrated remarkable faith and obedience. She trusted God with her child. She loved her son. But God loved him more. God is sovereign and He is good. And when you give your children to the LORD, you can trust God's sovereign care.

How reassuring is that!

God bless