Have you ever read something a thousand times, then all of a sudden, the one thousand and one-th time you’re mind blown by what you realized you never noticed before? (And yes, I made the one-th part up. It sounds so good though, right?) Anyway, that’s exactly what happened to me when I read the beginning of Moses’ story recently. I was dumbfounded by God’s goodness in all of it. Let me explain.
We always remember Moses as a baby being put into the Nile in a carefully woven basket by his mother. Then, at least I picture it this way, he floats down the river and is found by Pharaoh's daughter, never seeing his mom again, right? Wrong. So so wrong. When I read this again and realized what I did, my mouth literally dropped. It’s like I skipped over the miracle of His goodness that happened while I heard this story countless times in Sunday school.
Let me quote part of it so I don’t butcher it. This part is soon after mom puts her son into the river among the reeds.
Exodus 2:4-9
4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 5 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. 6 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.” 7 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?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9 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.
Did you notice it? His mom got her baby back AND was able to nurse him AND got paid for it! Crazy! (Insert mind-blown emoji here). His mom could have sulked and taken the I'm-mad-at-God approach when they sought to kill all the Hebrew baby boys. Instead, I can only imagine her saying a prayer as she laid him gently into the basket. Maybe something like, "Lord, I trust you. I don't understand but I trust you." Or maybe, "He's completely yours. Save him from all of this and use this little boy to somehow set us free. Nothing is impossible!" I truly believe she prayed and believed with all of her heart that Moses would be okay. If not, she would not have taken the time to weave a waterproof basket. But could she have imagined, in her wildest dreams, that he would come back to her? That she would get to nurse him and hold him in her arms again? I bet you not. And I can also bet you that she fell to her knees when she got back home and wept uncontrollably in thanksgiving that first night.
So there you have it. His goodness all over again. He has been good. He is good. And He will always be good. Even in the hardest of times. In her hardest moment I am sure. That moment she decided she would risk putting her very own baby into a river, He was watching in goodness. He had a plan for Moses. A good plan. But He also had a plan for her. And that's the same for you, friend. His ways are higher and greater and loftier than yours. Sometimes things happen in our lives that make us wonder why in the world? Or things happen that we just don't understand why He would even allow it. It's true. We live in a fallen world, governed by fallen people. BUT GOD! He shows up to comfort, redeem, restore, provide, heal... we cannot count the ways. His goodness follows us. We just have to stop and turn for a second to see it.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life;
Psalm 23:6a
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