Staff Writer - Audrey Linton
How many of you are in jobs or roles that you believe you were born to do? Hmm, not many hands going up at present!
Well how’s this for the ‘wow’ factor – the mother of Moses got paid for looking after her own child, by Pharaoh’s daughter.
I can hear you mothers saying ‘really – how did she do that? – Was that a Government initiative’?
Not at all – it had a little more supernatural intervention than that. Well let me explain!
Pharaoh, King of Egypt had decreed that all Hebrew male children under the age of two should be killed and Moses’ mother was desperate to protect her child, so she came up with an innovative idea, which actually verged on the brink of madness. She made a little ark , laid baby Moses in it and placed the ark on the River Nile and just prayed that God would take care of the little one. Both her and her daughter Miriam watched as the ark sailed away – can you imagine how distraught they were knowing that the little one was left to the elements for survival – what a sad picture. However, Miriam saw a different perspective.
Within minutes lo and behold Pharaoh’s daughter comes down to the river to take a bath – yes in the River Nile – the mind boggles! She noticed the little ark sailing down the Nile and she asks her maid to go and see what was in it. Now what turns up in front of Pharaoh’s daughter (lets call her ‘Tut’ for ease of reference), was a basket with this crying baby – yes Moses himself. Well, Tut’s maternal instinct rapidly came into play and she just fell in love with the little cutie.
Miriam, who was observing this afar off immediately saw an opportunity and she quickly drew near to the Egyptian entourage and made an unbelievable suggestion. She explained “as this baby is a ‘Hebrew baby why don’t I go and ask one of the Hebrew women to look after her for you”? ‘Excellent idea” ‘Tut’ exclaimed! ‘I will pay her well’, she added. Within no time, Miriam went to call Moses’mother to come and look after little Moses. Now as far as I am aware Pharaoh’s daughter did not know it was Moses’ real mother, so she agreed to pay her for looking after Moses.
Have you answered your calling?
Now how is that for divine favour and intervention. Moses’ mother was getting paid for looking after her own son!
So what is the moral of the story – In God’s perfect timing and his perfect way he will enable you to fulfil what you were born to do and even get paid for it. Your gift will make room for you.
Moses mother fulfilled her call in raising her son and imparting into him key skills, beliefs and characteristics to prepare him for his great mission in the future. She honoured Pharoah’s daughter by taking Moses back to the Palace once he became a certain age, but she had the opportunity of keeping her son alive and to nurse him.
Miriam – changed the course and destiny of a nation through her sharp and quick thinking. Her influence was so far reaching that she planted the idea into Pharaoh’s daughter’s mind that the young child should be looked after by a Hebrew woman and guess what – Pharaoh’s daughter liked the idea. Miriam saw the bigger picture as the ark sailed down the River Nile. She wasn’t overcome by the hopelessness of the situation but she took full advantage of her sphere of influence and enabled her mother to look after her son and get an income for doing so.
Unlike her father, Pharaoh’s daughter showed much compassion and no doubt she knew she was defying her father’s wishes. We could perhaps class her as one of the first human rights activists who wanted to fight for the protection of children. However, whatever her role or title, she too played an amazing role in this historical event.
If there is something that you believe you were born to do, then seek to pursue it – take that leap of faith and the bridge will appear. If you are still trying to find your purpose or your call then consider what you already have – it is usually already in your hand.
