A Mother's Faithfulness (Mother's Day)

A Mother’s Faithfulness, Exodus 1:15-2:8

Introduction

Ian MacLaren, that great preacher of the Word of God, once visited a home and found an old Scotch woman standing in her kitchen, weeping. She wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron, and when the minister asked her what was the matter, she confessed, “I have done so little. I am so miserable and unhappy.” “Why?” asked MacLaren. “Because I have done so little for Jesus.

When I was just a wee girl, the Lord spoke to my heart, and I did want so much to live for Him.” “Well, haven’t you?” asked the minister. “Yes, I have lived for Him, but I have done so little. I want to be of some use in His service.”

“What have you done?” “Nothing. I have washed dishes, cooked three meals a day, taken care of the children, mopped the floor, and mended the clothes.

That is all I have done all my life, and I wanted to do something for Jesus.” The preacher, sitting back in the armchair, looked at her and smiled.

“Where are your boys?” he inquired. She had four sons and had named them after Bible personalities. “Oh, my boys? You know where Mark is. You ordained him yourself before he went to China. Why are you asking? He is there preaching for the Lord.” “Where is Luke?” questioned the minister. “Luke? He went out from your own church. Didn’t you send him out?

I had a letter from him the other day.” Then she became happy and excited as she continued. “A revival has broken out on the mission station, and he said they were having a wonderful time in the service of the Lord!” “Where is Matthew?” “He is with his brother in China. Isn’t it fine that the two boys can be working together?

I am so happy about that. John came to me the other night--he is my baby and is only nineteen, but he is a great boy. He said, ‘Mother, I have been praying and, tonight in my room, the Lord spoke to my heart about going to help my brother in Africa! But don’t you cry, Mother. The Lord told me I was to stay here and look after you until you go home to glory.’

“The minister looked at her: “And you say your life has been wasted in mopping floors, darning socks, washing dishes, and doing the trivial tasks. I’d like to have your mansion when we are called home! It will be very near the throne.”

Transition

How many of the mothers present here today can relate to those sentiments? Being a mother can be a thankless and undervalued job. To be sure, being a mother is seldom full of glamour and glitz. From the moment we enter this world we are busy testing our mother’s patience and stretching her limits of endurance.

There is a television show on a certain channel called “Dirty Jobs” where the host of the show travels all over the country to various dirty job sites. He spends the episode cleaning pig pens, scrubbing sewage lines, feeding ostriches, standing atop huge suspension bridges to replace light bulbs, and many other dirty and frightening jobs.

My wife and I enjoy watching the show but in all of the times that I have watched the show it occurs to me that he has never spent the day being a mom. Perhaps he doesn’t have the courage or the stomach for what is, at times, the dirtiest job of all!

On this Mother’s Day we will examine a mother’s faithfulness and as we do, we will see what we can learn from her, and the other women who saved Moses from an early death, about faithfulness.

Today, we will examine the story of Moses birth and the faithfulness of his mother and the midwives who helped him enter this world safely.

Exposition (Reference the Storyteller’s Companion to the Bible, volume two)

The Pharaoh in the story is most likely Ramesses the Second; also known as Ramesses the Great. Ramesses was one of the greatest of all of the Egyptian Pharaohs. In fact, he ruled on his throne from the age of 20 from 1279 BC to 1213 BC – a span of 66 years.

Ramesses was perhaps the greatest of all of the Pharaohs of Egypt. The length of this reign was unprecedented and his accomplishments were equally unparalleled. Ramesses the Great was an extraordinary builder. We can barely find the words to describe the breadth of his undertakings.

Ramesses was a brutal taskmaster who had a habit of having his name scrawled on the walls of monuments that other Pharaohs had erected. His ego was perhaps only match by his rough treatment of the Hebrew people.