#DailyDevotion Be Faithful To The Lord, No Matter What
5th Sunday in Lent
Read Ex 1:1–22
Exo 1:15-17 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, (16) “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” (17) But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
God is fulfilling the promise he made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For four hundred years the children of Israel have been multiplying in Egypt. It is thought that a new dynasty had come to power just before the time of Moses that was not friendly to Semitic peoples. So since the Israelites were seen as displaced foreigners and were getting so numerous they posed a physical threat, the Pharaoh decided he needed to do something about it. He was going to kill off the boys, assimilate the girls and put the people under the whip to keep them under control.
The Israelite women though feared the Lord more than Pharaoh. Some may take exception of them lying but this may instruct us that love is fulfillment of the law and that we must obey God rather than men. We saw similar actions during World War II in places the Nazis were in control.
Through these actions of faith, the women preserved the Israelite people, allowed for Moses to be brought into the world, the instrument through whom the Lord was going to free his people, and the line of Jesus would be preserved.
As Joseph reminded us, the Pharaoh meant it for evil but meant it for good. Through the evil of the Pharaoh the Lord was going to show his glory to the Egyptians and to his people. We may be experiencing as manner of evil, trial, tribulations in our lives. People and the world that brings these things upon us mean it for evil. But God uses it for his good and for our good. We may not always see it. The Israelites rarely realized it or remembered it. But as we read the Scriptures we can see it is true.
The actions of the midwives should encourage us in our daily living in the Lord. There is so much stuff out there which may cause us to doubt God’s mercy and love. There are lots of situations which may tempt us to not be faithful to God: few for those who read this are threatened with death for being faithful. But the courage and faithfulness of the midwives should encourage us to be faithful no matter what also.
On top of that, the Lord himself became of us, was tempted in every way like us, was threatened with death and did indeed suffer death for our sakes, so we may live before God eternally. In and with his strength we too may remain faithful, even unto death should the situation require it.
Heavenly Father, you helped the midwives remain faithful to you and you demonstrated your faithfulness to us in your son Jesus. Grant us your Spirit and faith that we too may be faithful like them to your Word and Promises.