Jochebed – God, You Have Control (Exodus 2:1-4 Devotional)

“Everyone has a Story” first character unlocked – Jochebed.

Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him.

EXODUS 2:1-4 ESV

59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister.

 NUMBERS 26:59 ESV

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  

HEBREWS 11:23 ESV

You have control

is the command one pilot in a flight would give to another to hand over his control of the aircraft. The order is delivered to ensure that the pilot relinquishing control takes his hands and feet off the panels to avoid obstructing the other pilot, who is now in complete control of the airplane. And the pilot who received the command would also say, “I have control,” to confirm that the aircraft is now under his control.  

The Bible did not document any aircraft flying incidents. However, it did record a baby being sent on a Nile river ride in a bulrushes boat by his mother. It takes little courage from a 3-month-old to sail on his own, for he may not have known what is happening. But it would take tremendous courage and faith from a mother to let go of her infant! We know that baby was Moses. And Jochebed was that fearless mother. 

Who was Jochebed?

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

HEBREWS 11:23

Jochebed was the mother of Moses. She and her husband made it to the Hall of Faith in the Book of Hebrews. Despite the consequences, out of her love for her child, she exercised her faith by hiding her son for three months to save him. And when she couldn’t hide him any longer, she decided to send the baby down the river in a basket. Without knowing if anyone would intervene to save her son or what provision and plans God had for the baby. Just like the pilot flying trusted his partner in the cockpit and relinquished his control. Jochebed took the leap of faith by letting go, trusting, and allowing God to take complete control of her son. And when she did just that, God took control and orchestrated all of the beautiful events that followed! Moses, Israel’s great prophet and leader, was saved through his mother’s faith.

We wish to have complete control of our life and, at times, our children’s life. But we learn quickly that it won’t happen. There is not much we can hold in our hands. Even that little person who once wanted to cling to me and hold on to my hands, I know he will soon be gone and holding someone’s hand and not mine. The more we want to hold on to, the more we feel vulnerable and hopeless. But don’t forget we also have a Life Partner in our cockpit. He knows exactly what I need, and He has the best interest of me (and my child) in mind. So perhaps it’s time to relinquish that control to Him?

Be still, and know that I AM God.

PSALM 46:10

It’s not about how much we can hold in our hands, but who is holding ours! Let God take control in the pilot seat. He can do great things through our faith. He can fly us higher and farter. Let Him take control, and allow Him to write your story with you!

God, You have control. 

A piece of encouragement for the parents – it takes much courage and faith to let go of our children, but we can entrust them in God’s gracious hands.

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