hen Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.” Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months.
You have likely seen that desperate look of impending doom in someone’s eyes that reveals hopelessness in one’s soul. The reading today is about the fear of a mother who couldn’t keep her baby, Moses, hidden from Egyptians as she left her baby floating in a baby-sized ark. If we could see her eyes they would tell the story of her broken, desperate heart.
Perhaps your eyes have revealed that hopeless fear within your soul for a lost child or a terminally sick loved one. Empathize with this mom as she looks at her baby for the last time before she has to leave him to God’s care.
Perhaps you can see the fear in the eyes of his sister Miriam, standing far off, powerless, not knowing what will come of her brother.
Our Lord God rises above desperation with acts of mercy and love. Before we are gripped by fear God is already at work in quiet ways. On that day a princess was on her way to bathe in that same water where a baby ark floated. Her fearful father gave the edict to kill newborn male Hebrews. See Miriam’s eyes alight with joy as she catches the smiling eyes of the princess when she took Moses to be her own son. Soon a hopeless mom found joy when Miriam tells her that they are looking for someone who can nurse the babe. Moses would grow to lead God’s people.
God made all this happen! Even more, God brings good out of our darkest moments too.
Lord, fill our hearts with peace that in the face
of fear we can know that you are with us. Let our
eyes tell the story of the hope that we have in you.
Amen
Contact
