Exodus 2: 1-10 “Now a man from Levi’s household married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that the baby was healthy and beautiful, so she hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer, she took a reed basket and sealed it up with black tar. She put the child in the basket and set the basket among the reeds at the riverbank. The baby’s older sister stood watch nearby to see what would happen to him. Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, while her women servants walked along beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds, and she sent one of her servants to bring it to her. When she opened it, she saw the child. The boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. She said, “this must be one of the Hebrews’ children.” then the baby’s sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Would you like me to go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter agreed, “Yes, do that.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I’ll pay you for you work.” so the woman took the child and nursed it. After the child had grown up, she brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I pulled him out of the water.”
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE IS JUST SO AMAZING IN THE WAY EVERYTHING SEEMED TO HAPPEN BY CHANCE…. BUT WE ALL KNOW NOW…. GOD WAS WORKING THROUGH IT ALL…. BEHIND THE SCENES. YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHY MOSE’S MOTHER FELT SHE HAD TO MAKE THAT BASKET INTO A SMALL …. SOMEWHAT SEAWORTHY VESSEL….. AND THEN PUT HER BELOVED SON INTO IT…. AND JUST LET HIM DRIFT AWAY IN THE CURRENT OF THE RIVER? WELL, SHE HAD KEPT HIM HIDDEN FOR THREE MONTHS…. SHE HAD KEPT HIS BIRTH A SECRET FROM THE PHAROAH….. BUT NOW THE BABY WAS BECOMING MORE VOCAL AND MORE ACTIVE…. AND IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE WAS DISCOVERED…. NOW YOU CAN READ THE FULL STORY IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF EXODUS…. BUT THE SHORT VERSION OF IT… IS THAT THE PHAROAH…. HAD TAKEN A HEAD COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF HEBREW SLAVES…. AND ALTHOUGH HE LIKED HAVING A LARGE WORK FORCE…. HE WAS AFRAID OF HOW LARGE IN NUMBER THE HEBREW NATION WAS BECOMING….. AND SO, HE DECIDED THAT HE WOULD CONTROL THE POPULATION GROWTH….. BY KILLING ALL THE MALE BABIES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND WHEN MOSE’S MOTHER JOCHABED…… HAD HER VERY SPECIAL BABY BOY…. IT WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THOSE HORRIBLE KILLING YEARS. NOW, SHE WAS LIKE ANY OTHER MOTHER…. SHE LOVED HER BABY MORE THAN HER OWN LIFE….. AND SHE DIDN’T REALLY C ARE WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO HER IF THE PHAROAH FOUND OUT… ABOUT BABY MOSES….. BUT SHE ALSO KNEW THAT THE ONE THING THAT WAS SURE TO HAPPEN…. WAS THAT THE PHAROAH WOULD END HER SON’S SHORT LIFE. AND THAT WAS A THOUGHT SHE JUST COULDN’T BEAR…. SO SHE DECIDED SHE WOULD TRY TO FLOAT HIM AWAY IN A MAKESHIFT LIFE BOAT… SORT OF LIKE A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE…. HOPING IT WOULD SAIL AWAY ON THE WIND AND WAVES AND REACH A FAR AWAY LAND WHERE HE COULD BE FREE FROM THE EVIL RULE OF A HARD HEARTED KING. BUT SHE ALSO KNEW THAT IT WAS ENITRELY POSSIBLE THAT THE SMALL FLOATING BASKET MIGHT END UP GOING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE PHAROAH…. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT SHE JUST COULDN’T BEAR TO WATCH… BUT SHE HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED…. SO SHE SENT HER YOUNG DAUGHTER TO FOLLOW THE BASKET DOWN STREAM AND FIND OUT WHAT BECAME OF BABY MOSES. AND THIS IS WHERE I BELIEVE GOD STEPS IN AND ANSWERS PRAYERS IN A VERY CREATIVE WAY….. HE LEADS THE BASKET RIGHT TO THE PHAROAH’S OWN DAUGTHER… AND MOSES STARTS CRYING RIGHT ON CUE…. AND HER HEART GOES OUT TO HIM….. PROBABLY THAT INTERNAL MOTHER’S INSTINCT AWAKENING IN HER…. TO RESPOND TO A BABY’S CRIES…. WITH AN ACT OF LOVE…. AND SO, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD THOSE MOTHERING INSTINCTS…. SHE REALLY HAD NO WAY OF TAKING CARE OF SUCH A YOUNG BABY…. WHO NEEDED TO BE NURSED AND ALL THAT KIND OF BABY STUFF…. AND RIGHT ABOUT THAT TIME….. MOSES’S SISTER … ALTHOUGH NO ONE THERE KNEW THAT THEY WERE RELATED….. BUT SHE COMES UPON THE SCENE AND OFFERS TO TAKE MOSES TO “ONE OF THE HEBREW WOMEN”….. I WONDER WHO SHE HAD IN MIND?…. BUT SHE OFFERS TO TAKE MOSES TO ONE OF THE WOMEN UNTIL HE WAS A LITTLE BIGGER AND NO LONGER AT THE NURSING STAGE. AND SO, WE SEE GOD’S SENSE OF HUMOR HERE….. I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO SEE JOCABED’S FACE…. WHEN HER DAUGHTER BRINGS MOSES BACK TO HER JUST A SHORT WHILE AFTER SHE SAID HER LAS T GOODBYES TO HIM….
AND PUTS HIM IN HER ARMS AND SAYS: “HERE MOM…. YOU GET TO KEEP HIM A LITTLE LONGER AND THEN HE WILL BE RAISED LIKE AN EGYPTIAN PRINCE BY THE PHAROAH’S DAUGHTER….. SHE MUST HAVE JUST BEEN COMPLETELY SPEECHLESS….. AND THINKING HOW ….. COULD THIS CRAZY MIRACLE HAVE HAPPENED…. BUT IN TIME I AM SURE SHE FIGURED IT OUT…. GOD HAD ANSWERED HER PRAYERS… AS ONLY HE CAN. BUT NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED… IF SHE HAD NOT LOVED HER BABY SON…. AS ONLY A MOTHER CAN. SO MUCH THAT SHE WOULD DO ANYTHING SHE HAD TO DO TO HELP HIM SURVIVE…. EVEN IF IT COST HER EVERYTHING. MOST OF THE TIME, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT A MOTHER’S LOVE…. WE MIGHT PICTURE A MOTHER HOLDING HER CHILD…. SINGING THEM SOFTLY TO SLEEP…. KISSING THEM GENTLY ON THE FOREHEAD… AND MAKING SURE THEY KNEW BEYOND ANY DOUBT…. THAT THEIR CHILD WAS LOVED. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE TO A MOTHER’S LOVE…. A MOTHER’S LOVE …. HAS ANOTHER GEAR…. A HIGHER LEVEL THAT EVEN CATCHES THEMSELVES BY SURPRISE….. WHEN A MOTHER SENSES DANGER FOR HER CHILD…. THAT LOVE BECOMES FIERCE…. AND FIERY… A FORCE TO BE RESPECTED AND RECKONED WITH. WE SEE IT IN NATURE ALL THE TIME…… WHEN A MOTHER BEAR FOR INSTANCE…. SENSES HER CUB IS IN DANGER…. SHE CEASES TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE…. EXCEPT DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES…. TO GET HER BABY TO SAFETY. AND YOUR JUST DON’T WANT TO STAND IN THE WAY OF THAT FIERCE LOVE….. I THINK THIS IS WHERE THE MOTHER OF MOSES WAS…. SHE WASN’T THINKING TOO FAR DOWN THE LINE….. ALL SHE KNEW …. IS THAT MOSES WAS IN DANGER… AND SHE HAD TO GET HIM TO SAFETY. AND I THINK THAT GOD AT TIMES LOVES US WITH THIS SAME FIERCE LOVE…. WHERE HE IS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER SACRIFICIAL OR EXTRAORDINARY ACTIONS ARE NECESSARY…. TO GET US TO SAFETY. EVEN IF IT COSTS HIM….. HIS OWN LIFE. WE NORMALLY DON’T THINK OF GOD AS A MOTHER….. BUT…. IN A SENSE… GOD IS A SINGLE PARENT…. AND ANY SINGLE PARENT KNOWS THAT YOU SOMETIMES HAVE TO DO YOUR BEST TO TRY TO FILL ….. BOTH ROLES… OF FATHER…. AND MOTHER. BUT THERE IS SURELY A DIFFERENCE… NO MATTER HOW HARD A FATHER MAY TRY…. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE LOVE ….. OF OUR MOTHER…. I BELIEVE THAT GOD HIMSELF SENSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MOTHER AND CHILD BOND…. THE INCREDIBLE POWER OF THAT LOVE….. AND THAT IS WHY HE MADE SURE…. THAT JESUS… THE SON OF GOD…. HAD A MOTHER WHO LOVED HIM AS ONLY A MOTHER…. CAN. NOW, PLEASE DON’T MISUNDERSTAND ME…. I AM NOT SAYING THAT GOD IS DEFICIENT IN ANY WAY…. IN FACT…. I BELIEVE THAT ALL LOVE COMES FROM GOD FIRST…. AND SO IT IS BECAUSE OF HIS LOVING US FIRST… THAT WE ARE CAPABLE … OF FEELING … OR GIVING LOVE…. AT ALL. BUT I BELIEVE THAT GOD UNDERSTANDS THE SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD… THAT ALLOWS THAT LOVE TO BE TRANSFERRED…. AND FELT…. IN A WAY THAT IS BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING…. BUT NOT BEYOND GOD’S UNDERSTANDING…. NOT ONLY DOES HE UNDERSTAND IT…. HE CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO TAKE PLACE. AND I BELIEVE THAT GOD KNEW THAT THE HUMAN SIDE OF JESUS WOULD NOT BE TRULY HUMAN…… WITHOUT THE DEEP KNOWLEDGE …. AND THE INDESCRIBABLE FEELING ….. THAT SURPASSES ANYTHING WE KNOW…. THAT GUT FEELING… THAT EVEN IF THE REST OF THE WORLD MIGHT GROW TO DESPISE US….. OUR MOTHER’S LOVE…. WOULD STILL REMAIN…. AND WE WOULD STILL KNOW SOMEHOW…. THAT WE ARE…. LOVED. WHEN IT SEEMED THAT THE WHOLE WORLD HAD TURNED ON
JESUS…. AND HAD LOST ALL LOVE FOR HIM…. AND SOME EVEN DESPISED HIM….. EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE JESUS CALLED OUT TO GOD: “ FATHER, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”… EVEN THEN…. AT THAT LOWEST MOMENT IN HIS LIFE….. WHEN HE FELT TOTALLY ALONE AND ABANDONED…… IN HIS HEART HE KNEW ONE THING FOR SURE….. MY MOTHER…. STILL LOVES ME. THAT THOUGHT…. CAN GET US ALL THROUGH…. OUR DARKEST HOUR. THANK GOD…. FOR THE FIERCE LOVE…. THAT HOLDS ON TIGHT AND NEVER LETS GO….. THAT UNIQUE AND PERFECTLY DIVINE LOVE OF GOD FOR US…. THAT CANNOT BE DESCRIBED IN WORDS… BUT SOMEHOW… IS DEFINED PERFECTLY IN EMOTION… THROUGH THE LOVE OF OUR MOTHERS. NOW, I KNOW THAT I CAN’T EVER HOPE TO REPAY OR RETURN THAT LOVE…. THAT FEELING OF BEING LOVED…. THAT BEGINS IN THE WOMB…. AND STAYS WITH US THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE LIVES…. BUT JUST BECAUSE I CAN’T LOVE THAT FIERCELY…. SHOULD NOT STOP ME FROM SHOWING THE LOVE OF GOD IN WHATEVER WAYS I CAN. IN FACT, I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE…. THAT SHOWING SOMEONE ….. ANYONE…. ANY OF GOD’S CREATIONS….. THAT THEY ARE LOVED…. IT REALLY MAY BE THE SIMPLEST DEFINITION OF OUR MISSION ON EARTH. MAYBE WE ARE JUST SUPPOSED TO OPEN UP OUR HEARTS…. TO THE LORD….. AND WHEN HE GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY…. WE SHOULD TAKE THE LOVE HE FILLED OUR HEARTS WITH…. AND POUR IT OUT ON SOMEONE ELSE…. WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECT IT…. WHEN THEY DON’T FEEL WORTHY OF ANYONE’S LOVE….. AND THEN LET THEM KNOW…. THAT NO MATTER WHAT THEY MAY DO…. NO MATTER WHAT THEY MAY SAY….. NO MATTER IF THEY ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD…. OR TOWARDS HIM…. OR JUST STANDING STILL….. EVEN IF A PERSON HATES THEMSELVES SO MUCH…. THAT THEY ACT IN A HATEFUL WAY…. SO THAT OTHERS WILL RETURN THE HARSH FEELINGS….. AND JUSTIFY THEIR FEELINGS OF HATE….. EVEN THEN…. ESPECIALLY THEN…. IF WE CAN THROW LOVE…. INTO THE FACE OF HATE…. AND FIERCLY LOVE SOMEONE…… EVEN WHEN THEY THINK THEY ARE IRRETRIEVABLY UNLOVABLE….. THEN FOR A MOMENT…. THEY REMEMBER THAT LOVE…. OF THEIR MOTHER… THEY REMEMBER THAT EVEN IF THE WHOLE WORLD HAS TURNED THEIR BACK ON THEM AND GIVEN UP ON THEM…… THEIR MOTHER …. WILL ALWAYS LOVE THEM….. AND SO… THEY ARE LOVED. AND SO OUR MISSION TO FOLLOW CHRIST….. TO REACH OTHERS WITH HIS MESSAGE OF FAITH HOPE… AND LOVE…. THAT MISSION… BEGINS…. BY FIERCLY LOVING EVEN THOSE WHO RESIST IT… THE MOST… BY REMINDING THEM…. THAT THEY ARE LOVED….. AND NOTHING CAN ERASE THAT… OR TAKE THAT AWAY. SOMETIMES WHEN I SEE A HOMELESS PERSON ON THE STREET CORNER… AND THEY SEEM SO FORGOTTEN AND UNLOVED….. AND I TRY TO REMEMBER THAT THEY WERE ONCE LITTLE CHILDREN …… AND HAD A MOTHER…. AND KNEW THAT LOVE…. PLANTED DEEP WITHIN THEIR HEARTS…. SOME OF THEM ARE LIKE WOUNDED BIRDS…. JUST WANDERING IN THE PARK… SURVIVING ON WHATEVER THEY CAN FIND. AND I REMEMBER ….. THAT ONCE NOT LONG AGO….. GOD SHOWED ME SO CLEARLY WHAT OUR MISSION TO LOVE SHOULD LOOK LIKE. LATE LAST YEAR, MY WIFE FOUND A SMALL BIRD IN THE YARD…. IT SEEMED IT COULD NOT FLY…. BUT WE COULD NOT FIND ANY MARK ON IT AT ALL…. SHE WAS ABLE TO PICK IT UP AND CRADLE IT IN HER HANDS…. AND IT SEEMED REALLY FRANTIC AND SCARED AT FIRST…. BUT THEN AS SHE GENTLY STROKED ITS HEAD AND SPOKE SOFTLY TO IT…. IT STARTED TO RELAX.
WE WERE CERTAIN THAT IT WAS GOING TO SNAP OUT OF IT…. AND BURST OUT OF HER HANDS AT ANY MOMENT AND START FLYING…. BUT FOR THAT MOMENT…. IT WAS CONTENT … TO JUST SIT THERE…. AND BE LOVED. AND THEN, JUST AS SUDDENLY AS IT HAD BEGUN….. IT WAS OVER….. THE BIRD JUST CEASED TO BE ALIVE…. IT TOOK US A FEW SHOCKED MOMENTS TO ACCEPT IT…… AND IT JUST HURT SO BAD …. AND I WONDERED …. LORD, WHY DID WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS…. WHY DID WE HAVE TO WITNESS THE LAST MOMENTS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL GENTLE LITTLE CREATURE? AND THEN THE MESSAGE FROM GOD BECAME CRYSTAL CLEAR….. IT WASN’T JUST ABOUT WHAT WE WERE HAVING TO FEEL….. IT WAS MORE ABOUT THE FEELING WE GAVE TO THE BIRD…. IF ONLY FOR A FEW MOMENTS…. HE KNEW….. BEYOND ANY DOUBT….. THAT HE WAS LOVED. AND SO, IN THE WORDS OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGWRITER S JAMES TAYLOR…. SHOWER THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE WITH LOVE….. SHOW THEM THE WAY YOU FEEL. NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW THE LOVE IN OUR HEARTS…. UNLESS WE LET IT OUT…. EVEN IF OUR HEARTS BREAK A LITTLE IN THE PROCESS. TODAY…. LET YOUR MOTHER KNOW HOW YOU FEEL…. EVEN IF SHE IS WITH GOD ALREADY…. LOVE CAN REACH BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THIS LIFE. AND LET HER KNOW…. THAT THE UNDYING FIERCE LOVE…. THAT LIVES IN HER HEART FOR YOU….. HAS CHANGED YOUR LIFE….. BY LETTING YOU KNOW…. THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS LIFE….. IT ALL WILL BE WORTH IT…. BECAUSE…. WE ARE … AND ALWAYS WILL BE ….. LOVED.
THANK YOU GOD….. FOR YOUR UNDYING FIERCE LOVE….. SHOWN NOT ONLY THROUGH OUR SAVIOR…. BUT ALSO THROUGH OUR MOTHERS…. AMEN