When her baby’s life was in danger, she found a creative way to save it. Read Exodus 1:22-2:3. When the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt felt threatened by the growing number of Hebrew slaves, he ordered that baby boys be thrown into the Nile River. Jochebed gave birth to a baby boy when the order was in effect. Being a mother, her desire was to save her baby. First, she kept him hidden for three months. When hiding him became too dangerous, she thought of a way to save him. One place that no one would be looking for live baby Hebrew boys was the Nile River. She made a basket boat of papyrus and tar and floated him down the Nile. Her hope was that he would be discovered by an Egyptian woman who would show mercy on her baby. This is one of the first examples of a mother giving up her child in hopes of giving her child a better life. Today, many women are faced with a decision about what is best for their newborn babies. For most, this is an emotionally difficult decision to make. As a pastor, my thought is that there is no such thing as a wrong decision when the decision is made with love and in the best interest of the child. There are many people who cannot have children of their own and would be great candidates for becoming parents. The birth mother’s hope is that her child will be loved, cared for, and given an opportunity to succeed in the world. Jochebed must have been in great emotional turmoil with the threat of her child being killed and the unknown factor of whether or not her plan would give her child a better life. I can only imagine the tears she cried as she placed her baby in the basket boat and sent him down the river, not knowing what would become of him.

Prayer: Lord of Creation, help us to all know that we are made in your image. We lift up moms who have difficult decisions to make concerning the future of their children. We lift up those who long to be parents but are currently childless. Help us to make loving decisions for all. Amen.