January 21 - Faith Accepts God's Plans
Scripture
- Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
Observation
To stem the population explosion among the Hebrew slaves in Egypt, the pharaoh gave an edict that all male babies were to be drowned in the Nile. To protect their newborn son, Amram and Jochebed first hid him for three months, and then put him in a waterproofed basket and placed him in the Nile near the place where Pharaoh's daughter bathed. He was found by the princess and taken to be raised as her own child. Moses' sister, Miriam, was watching and persuaded the princess to get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the infant. Miriam, of course, got her mother, who was then able to raise her own son almost as if he had been at home.
Moses' parents, Amram and Jochebed, were not afraid of the king's edict. They ignored the pressures and threats of the world when these conflicted with God's way. Moses' parents were willing to risk their own lives to follow God's way. Their decision was clear: save the child, whatever the consequences. Saving Moses was more than their own will, it was also God's will.
It took considerable faith to put Moses in the basket and to trust that Pharaoh's daughter, of all people, would take pity on this baby, which she immediately recognized as a Hebrew. It also took faith to believe that, if he were adopted by the princess, he would be raised in the way of the Lord rather than in the occultic paganism of Egypt. From a human perspective, his parents had no way of knowing even that his life would be spared, much less that, for all purposes, he would be given back to them. Yet they willingly let him go, entrusting him to God.
Jochebed nursed Moses and trained him and taught him Israel's promises from God—that they were to inherit the land of Canaan and be a great nation and bless the world. She instilled in him God's promise of a great deliverer, the messianic hope in which Abraham had rejoiced (John 8:56). His mother helped build in him the faith that was to become characteristic of his life. She did not fully know why God allowed her son to be raised in the court of Egypt, within the very household of the one who wanted him and all the other male Hebrew babies slain. She knew, however, that this was in God's plan and, unlike Sarah, did not try to adjust His plan to her own.
Trying to improve on God's plan is more pretentious than taking a felt-tipped pen and trying to improve the Mona Lisa. Our scribbling would do nothing but ruin the masterpiece. God needs our obedience, not our help, our trust, not our counsel. He makes the plans; we walk in them by faith.
Understanding
What is God saying to me?
God’s plans are perfect. God’s plans are perfect. God’s plans are perfect. I must keep reminding myself of that. All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes. The plans God has are good, plans to give us a future and a hope.
So when things don’t go the way I envision (like the Princess finding the baby) I will trust God that He is at work. His ways are better than mine. His thoughts higher than mine. I will trust Him.
Life Application
What will I do about it?