Facing your Fears

Scripture:

Ex. 2:5   The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it.  6 When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said.  7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”  8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother.  9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it.  10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

Observation:

Pharaoh was determined to kill the Hebrew infant boys. Moses’ mother was desperate to save her baby boy but she couldn’t hide him any longer. Pharaoh’s own daughter is the one who saves the life of this little Hebrew boy and she doesn’t seem to do this in secret but openly adopts and cares for him. What is quite striking is the way in which Miriam approaches Pharoah’s daughter, suggesting that she could find a nurse for this baby. One can only imagine the fear of Moses’ mother when she comes to meet Pharoah’s daughter. Stuart tells us, “So the determined mother met the daughter of the source of her worst fears, God having turned the circumstances toward hope and salvation.” (Stuart, D. K. (2006). Exodus (Vol. 2, p. 92). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)  But she faced her fear and became part of the salvation of her son, and ultimately her people.

Application:

Sometimes it seems difficult to trust God, especially when it means facing your worst fears. We all have things that create fear in our hearts and the enemy wants to take those fears and immobilize us, keeping us from the mission. I’m sure that both Miriam and her mother prayed as they made their way to Pharoah’s home. They were walking into the house of the enemy and they needed God’s strength.

We need God’s strength as we walk into his mission in this world. There may even be moments when we have to come face to face with our worst fears but if we don’t, there will be no victory. God provides the courage in the moment of our weakness and the mission is fulfilled when he is in it!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for examples of those who have gone before us and the courage they have found in you.  Amen.


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