“The
world is drowning, don’t sink with it.” (Sever Andzenge)
Exodus 1:22-2:1-10 - 22 So
Pharaoh issued a general order to all his people: “Every boy that is born,
drown him in the Nile. But let the girls live.” 1-3 A
man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant
and had a son. She saw there was something special about him and hid him. She
hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer she got a
little basket-boat made of papyrus, waterproofed it with tar and pitch, and
placed the child in it. Then she set it afloat in the reeds at the edge of the
Nile.
4-6 The
baby’s older sister found herself a vantage point a little way off and watched
to see what would happen to him. Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile to
bathe; her maidens strolled on the bank. She saw the basket-boat floating in
the reeds and sent her maid to get it. She opened it and saw the child—a baby
crying! Her heart went out to him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew
babies.”
7 Then
his sister was before her: “Do you want me to go and get a nursing mother from
the Hebrews so she can nurse the baby for you?”
8 Pharaoh’s
daughter said, “Yes. Go.” The girl went and called the child’s mother.
9 Pharaoh’s
daughter told her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me. I’ll pay you.” The
woman took the child and nursed him.
10 After
the child was weaned, she presented him to Pharaoh’s daughter who adopted him
as her son. She named him Moses (Pulled-Out), saying, “I pulled him out of the
water.”
It is not news that the
world we live in at the moment is becoming dangerous by the day. God is being
gradually taken out of every single aspect of society. I was thinking about all
the stuff going down and I’m just like, ‘Oh mehn, I really don’t wanna bring a
child into this drowning world which is sinking real deep and deep in the
twinkle of an eye. It’s scary raising a child in such a world. He would have to
be protected from almost everything at a point. #sigh# It’s truly scary. However, there is still
hope for the coming generation if we play our cards right. Yes, there’s hope.
Let’s take a look at
the Biblical account above. Three important things stand out from that story;
the Nile, the basket, and the lady Miriam.
v
The
Nile River represents the world and its many
distractions. Because of course we live in the world, we are in no way
shielded from the many distractions it presents. It is a flowing river with
numerous distractions. Some of these distractions include humanistic beliefs,
the fashion craze, ungodly music, the crave to belong, homosexuality and many
others. There are distractions grabbing at our attention by the day. And what
are these distractions? In simple terms, they are things that take our eyes off
the goal ahead of us. Therefore, we must beware of such distractions and rely
on God’s helps and grace to keep us focused on the goal, which is to live for
God’s own pleasure.
v
The
Basket represents the Word of God. The Word of
God is what is able to keep us afloat the waters of evil. Without the Word of
God we will sink deep down into the waters of the ‘Nile’ (the world) and drown.
Moses’ mother made a basket of papyrus and even went ahead to coat it with
pitch and tar so it would stay afloat and so also to prevent the waters of the
Nile from seeping into the basket and drowning her child. A time will come when
we would have to release our children into the waters of the world and the only
thing we can give them to help them stay afloat is the Word of God. The Word of
God will serve as a basket that will keep them from drowning with the world.
The Word of God is the only weapon that we have to fight the battle against the
evil one. Therefore, we as parents and parents-to-be are responsible for
immersing our children in the Word of God so that even when they aren’t under
our watchful eyes, we can be confident that they will not sink, just like
Moses’ mother had confidence that her baby wouldn’t sink in the basket she made
for him. Also, she made the basket HERSELF. This means that no one else but US
as parents must teach our children the Word of God. It is our responsibility
and God will hold us accountable.
v
The
Lady Miriam represents destiny helpers and disciplers
in the lives of our children. We must back up our teachings of God’s Word with
prayer, constantly asking God to raise destiny helpers and disciplers for our
children wherever they are thrown to in this life. Such people serve as
watchmen and encouragers to our children. God can raise them anywhere; at their
schools, work places, church, wherever. God raise some for a season, and some
for a lifetime, but in every place, He has placed ‘Miriams’ who will help our
children walk into the destiny that the Lord God has prepared for them.
Moses’ mother saw that
her child was a special child and had a destiny to fulfill and that was why she
did all she could to keep him alive; which included letting him into the Nile.
To current parents and us future parents, we must see our children as special
and each with a destiny to fulfill. The life Moses’ mother preserved became the
redeemer of his people.
To us as parents and
grown people, the world is drowning, but we can’t and shouldn’t sink with it.
We have the Word of God which is able to keep us afloat and alive to fulfill
God’s purpose for our lives.
So… there’s hope for
the future, I just have to play my role well and be confident that God’ Word
will be able to keep me and my child/children from drowning.
STAY AFLOAT!!! The Lord
is counting on you to raise a godly generation.
REFERENCES:
The Holy Bible (MSG & NIV)
