Jochebed! Who? Trusting God Exodus 2 V1-10

I guess for most Police Officers, the most stressful part of the job is appearing at court. I shall never forget my first Crown Court appearance, and the first time I gave evidence at Court 1 at The Old Baily. Generally it’s not because you have done anything wrong, or as some might falsely accuse, likely to commit perjury. No, but you know Barristers, especially defence ones are paid obscene fees to pick holes in and discredit your evidence and convince the jury you are a liar and make it inadmissible! But as the saying goes “Every Dog has it’s day”

Illustration:

A defence barrister was cross-examining a police officer during a criminal trial it went like this:

Q: Officer, did you see my client fleeing the scene?

A: No sir, but I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender running several streets away.

Q: Officer, who provided this description?

A: The officer who responded to the scene.

Q: A fellow officer provided the description of this so-called offender. Do you trust your fellow officers?

A: Yes sir, with my life.

Q: With your life? Let me ask you this then officer, do you have a locker room in the police station, a room where you change your clothes in preparation for your daily duties?

A: Yes sir, we do.

Q: And do you have a locker in that room?

A: Yes sir, I do.

Q: And do you have a lock on your locker?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Now why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life that you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with those officers?

A: You see sir, we share the building with a court complex, and sometimes defence barristers have been known to walk through that room.

I ask the question who do you trust both in and with your life? Your friends, family, colleagues, fellowship, sadly like me I’m sure that some of you will have been let down in various ways in the past. I know I’ve said it “Next time I’ll do it myself!”

In today’s reading we have this wonderful well known account of Moses and the basket! I must admit that I have never till I started to prepare this talk fully realised the importance of this scripture. How many of us even know the name of Moses mother? She, Jochebed knew Pharoh’s order to kill the first born was evil but was unable to do anything about it. However I’m sure it was that small still voice from God who inspired her to place him in the basket? She trusted God with the life of her new born son. God never let her down even though what was to happen must have far exceeded any expectation she may have had. What a reminder that God has a plan and purpose for all of us, even if we don’t realise it at the time. Moses was God’s chosen one and would be instrumental in freeing the slaves and leading them towards the promised land. (PP4) It was Moses who God intrusted with the Ten Commandments. It was Moses who was the only man to speak to God face to face Exodus 33 v11.

I wonder how many of us have the faith and courage of Jochebed. Do we sometimes feel surrounded by evil and wrongdoing but feel frustrated by how little we can do about it? When faced with evil, look for ways to act against it. Then use God to use your effort, however small it seems, in His war against evil. Just one example: How many Christians write to their MP when un Godly laws are in the making? Sadly sometimes it doesn’t always seem to change things, after all nearly 700,000 people signed the petition against gay marriage, the biggest petition ever made in Britain, yet Cameron and Clegg arrogantly turned a blind eye! Still who knows the eventual outcome and effect of that decision. God knows and one day all of us will come face to face with God and have to give an account of the things we did or did not do for Him. He alone will be the judge.

Which leads me onto the second main point I want to bring out. Although sometimes elder sisters can be a pain in the neck, Miriam, Moses’ sister seized the opportunity and bravely approached the Royal Princess, resulting in Moses not only being reunited with his mother but also Jochebed would receive a generous allowance for nursing her own child. As my Life Application Bible mentions: Special opportunities may come our way unexpectedly. Don’t let the fear of what might happen cause you to miss an opportunity. Be alert to the opportunities God gives you, and take full advantage of them.