The Story of God: No Ordinary Child

Becky and I officially became empty nesters last Sunday, when I officiated Courtney’s marriage to Austin.  She is now Mrs. Courtney Lee and the two of them are enjoying their honeymoon right now in Punta Cana.  It was a great wedding and even better reception.  In fact, one of my proudest moments came when Courtney took the microphoneafter our daddy daughter dance and began singing a special wedding song to Austin.  At that moment I wasn’t just proud of her, I was blown away.  For she was no longer just my little girl all grown up, and she wasn’t just Austin’s new bride.  No, for the first time, my eyes were opened to see Courtney in a whole new light.

For 23 years I’d only seen Courtney as my daughter.  Now, I’d always seen her in other contexts.  I’ve seen her be a faithful friend.  I’ve seen her be an encouraging teammate.  I’ve seen how much she loved preforming and being a College student.  And I’ve seen how quickly she adjusted to getting her first job and paying her own bills. But while she was singing last Sunday, it all hit me.  For the first time, I saw her not simply as my daughter, but as God’s daughter – a young girl who He has transformed into a godly woman – a godly woman whom He has shaped for a future He has in mind for her.

Then it all made sense me: how as a baby she was the bright light that held our family together during a difficult time; how each Pastoral move we made taught her how to make new friends; how getting involved in swimming and show choir gave her the confidence to take on college; how going to college awakened her talents in the arts; and how her achievements in College gave her the confidence to tackle her first job and yes to seek out a church on her own, where God led her to the man of her dreams.  What I realized was that it wasn’t just us who helped shape her, but it was God working through ALL the people and circumstances in her life that made her who she is today.

In fact, it’s this truth that I want us to see in Gods Word today. For as we return to the story of God, we are going to seehow God works through people and circumstances to shape us into people for His glory.  And there is no better example of His working than from the life of Moses in the book of Exodus.  So, if you brought your Bible with you today, let me encourage you to open them to Exodus 2:1-10

But before we begin to see how God worked in Moses life, let me remind you of the context of his birth. If you were here two weeks ago, we learned that after hundreds of years in Egypt, a new Pharaoh, to whom Joseph meant nothing, took the reign of power in Egypt and began his own personal war on God’s people.  Phase one of his plan was to enslave the Israelites, to treat them harshly, to beat them into submission, so to speak.  But the Israelites continued to multiply and spread through the land.  So he launched phase two of his attack by enlisting the midwives to kill the newborn baby boys.  Again, his plan failed and Israel continued to flourish and grow. Then Pharaoh gave this edict to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” Exodus 1:22

Pharaoh’s murderous intent is now in the open. If being enslaved and treated with brutality wasn’t enough, now every young couple hoping to have a child were faced with a dangerous choice.  And yet, it is in the midst of this hostile environment we see that God was at work in Moses’ Birth  And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.  So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.  Exodus 2:1-2

How was God at work here?  God was at work in the faith of his parents.  Knowing full well that they were bringing a child into a world of cruelty and pain, slavery and despair, they did so anyway.  Then once he was born and saw that he was good; that there was something very special about this baby, they secretly hid him for three months. They did so at the risk of loosing everything. And their faith is now noted for us in the faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11:“By faith Moses’parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict” Hebrews 11:23.  That’s how God was at work in the birth of Moses.  Moses had parents who feared God more than any man.

That’s how God works even today.  He works through men and women who are not afraid to stand against the status quo. So the question we must ask is this: Do you fear God more than you fear man?  Do you live to please God or please others?Because when you live to please God, you won’t always popular.  People will tell you to lighten up.  Some may even disown you.  But when God’s at work in your life, you will stand – just like Moses parents.  And God will use your faith.

That’s the first way we see God at work in this passage.  But He’s not done working.  Now we see God was at work in a Mother’s Plan   But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.  Exodus 2:3-4  Now at some point Moses’ parents realized that couldn’t keep him secret any longer. Something had to be done.  So Moses’ mother hatched a plan.  She must’ve known the bathing habits of Pharaoh’s daughter.  For after carefully crafting an ark for the baby, she put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.  For then we have Moses’ sister standing just far enough away to see what happens next.

Once again, this is an act of faith.  Perhaps after hours and hours of agonizing prayer,  she leaves her child in the reeds, and puts her hope in God, trusting that somehow He might deliver Moses.  So she’s taking a huge risk.  For even if Pharaoh’s daughter finds the baby this doesn’t guarantee his safety.  For she could simply call her attendants and they could follow her father’s orders and drown the baby.  So Moses’ mother is hoping that God will work in Pharaoh’s daughter to somehow rescue her child.  And that is a desperate act of faith.  Imagine putting your child’s life in the hands of someone who doesn’t know God? It’s risky isn’t it?   But when you understand that God is always working and that He promises to seek what is best for you… then it gets a little easier.  But it’s still risky.  So what happens?  Well, it doesn’t take long to see that God was at work in Pharaoh’s Daughter  Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Exodus 2:5-6

Did you see it?  The moment she peeked into the basket, her curiosity turned into compassion.  At the same moment she recognized that this baby boy was one of the Hebrew’s children.  Didn’t matter, for what Jochebed had hoped for happened.  God brought Pharaoh’s daughter to the river in his providence, and God moved in her to have a mother’s heart toward her baby.

This example serves as a great reminder to us of how God works providentially in the lives of people who don’t know Him.  Pharaoh’s daughter did not believe in the God of Abraham, yet God used her to save Moses.   That should encourage us.  God still works through people who don’t know Him.  There may be a time when you might need to trust God through a person who doesn’t know him. So be encouraged, God used Pharaoh’s daughter to save Moses.  You never know whom God might use to help you.  God was at work in Pharaoh’s daughter…

But that’s not the only way we see him at work.  For now we see that God was at work through Moses’ Family  Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”  And Pharaoh’s daughter saidto her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother.  Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.  Exodus 2:7-9

Now with the baby crying out of hunger, Moses’ sister steps forward and offers to find a nursing mother for Pharaoh’s daughter.  And Pharaoh’s daughter, seeing the need, agrees and says to her, “Go.” What a brilliant plan.  Moses’ sister, goes and finds a nursing mother, Moses’ own mother and brings her to Pharaoh’s daughter, who says, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.”So the woman took the child and nursed him.   

God was truly at work in Moses’ family.  Even though, Moses’ sister, Miriam, looked like she was doing Pharaoh’s daughter a favor by finding her a wet nurse, this was really for Moses’ benefit; for this was all part of God’s plan for preparing this child to save his people.  God worked it out through this unique series of events for Moses to spend His earliest years – the years that shape one’s personal identity – with his own family. Now Moses could bond with his own mother and to receive basic spiritual instruction from her.  She may have had only two or three years to teach him the most important lessons in life.  But no doubt she prayed that when her child became a man, he would love God’s people, hear God’s voice, and respond to God’s call.  And while she did this, Pharaoh paid her to raise her own beloved son.

This example of a family’s influence on Moses serves as a strong reminder to us:  Never underestimate the power your life can have on your children or grandchildren.  Just like God worked through the prayers and teachings of Jochebed, God can work through your prayers, your love and your teaching to make a difference in your children or grandchildren.  You may only have them for a week or visit them for a month each year, but you can never know how your life can influence them. Pray for your grandchildren, teach them about Jesus, show them grace.  Sometimes I hear a lot of discouraging words about the emerging generation.  But God can still use your influence, if not with your grandchildren, perhaps right here in the lives of children here in Eloy.  Even if one person here today gave of themselves to mentor, pray for, or even teach a young person in our community, can you imagine the impact that would have?  If God worked through Moses’ family, He can still work through you!

Now, there’s one more way God was at work in Moses’ childhood, and that is this:    God was at work in the Pharaoh’s Household  And so we read:And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.” Exodus 2:10

At some point, Moses was adopted into Pharaoh’s household.  But God was working there too.  Moses did not grow up as a slave but as a son, safe and secure in Pharaoh’s court.  There he “was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” Acts 7:22.  This was the finest training the world then had to offer – a first class secular education. The “children of the nursery,” they were called; and as a child of the nursery, Moses was trained in linguistics, mathematics, astronomy, architecture, music, medicine, law, and the fine art of diplomacy. In other words, he was being trained by Pharaoh’s court for Pharaoh’s overthrow right under Pharaoh’s nose!

But there was a purpose in all of this – a divine purpose – for God was preparing him to lead his people Israel out of Egypt.  And yet, we are so quick to forget, that none of the things that happened to Moses would not have happened if God hadn’t have intervened and overruled Pharaoh’s deadly decree.  But all these things did happen by God’s providential hand in order to accomplish His plan of salvation.  God saved the child Moses, so that one day, He could save his children the Israelites.

So in the end this passage teaches us an important truth:  God is always working through people and circumstances for our good and His glory!   He works through our families; He works through difficult circumstances; He even works through strangers to bring about His plans for our lives.  We are not alone in this thing called life. As Paul says in the New Testament:  And we know that inall things God works for the good of those who love Him, whohave been called according to His purpose.Romans 8:28

And His ultimate purpose is that everyone might come to know Him through faith in Jesus Christ.  Why?

• So that we might know a love and mercy that never fails.
• So we might experience a new life of forgiveness, peace, hope found in Jesus.
• And that we might find our true purpose in life – to live for God’s glory as we learn to bless others with the grace and truth found in Jesus.

So, yes, just like God intervened in Israel’s darkest hour to bring forth a child who would deliver His people Israel…

…God intervened in our world, to bring forth a child, His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, to deliver us from darkness, by his death on the cross, so that He might bring us home to Him.

So yes, just like God saved Moses, He wants to save you.  That’s why you are here today.  To hear the good news: that by believing in Jesus Christ, you can be saved from your sin and guilt and you can be saved for a life with the God who created you to know Him and His love forever.

So may God open your eyes to see Jesus as your Savior

May God open your heart to receive Him as your Lord,

And May God give you the faith to believe in Jesus so that He might rescue you from a certain death as He once rescued Moses so many years ago.