FROM MUDHUT TO BIG HOUSE
EXODUS 2:1-3
AND THERE WENT A MAN OF THE HOUSE OF LEVI, AND TOOK TO WIFE A DAUGHTER OF LEVI
AND THE WOMAN CONCEIVED AND BARE A SON; AND WHEN SHE SAW HIM THAT HE WAS A GOODLY CHILD, SHE HID HIM FOR 3 MONTHS.
AND WHEN SHE COULD NO LONGER HIDE HIM, SHE TOOK FOR HIM AN ARK OF BULRUSHES AND DAUBED IT WITH SLIME AND WITH PITCH, AND PUT THE CHILD THEREIN; AND SHE LAID IT IN THE FLAGS OF THE RIVER BANK.
PRAY WITH ME FOR THE NEXT LITTLE WHILE AS WE ATTEMPT TO SPEAK TO YOU ON THE SUBJECT, FROM MUDHUT TO BIGHOUSE.
AMEN OR HEY MAN IS ALLOWED DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT I’M ON YOUR STREET. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SAY AMEN, IT’S OK, I BROUGHT A POCKETFUL OF THEM….AMEN BENITEZ.
TODAY IS THE DAY THAT CONGRESS HAS SET ASIDE TO SAY I REMEMBER MY MOTHER. BY FAR IT IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST DAYS OF THE YEAR.
RESTAURANTS ARE BOOKED TO CAPACITY
THE PHONE LINES ARE EXTREMELY BUSY
MORE GIFTS ARE PURCHASED FOR THIS DAY THAN ANY OTHER DAY OF THE YEAR
MORE FLOWERS ARE DELIVERED JUST TO SAY I LOVE MY MOTHER.
I’M NOT A TRADITIONALIST PER SE, BUT WHEN I WAS ASKED TO BRING THIS MESSAGE I WANTED IT TO BE INFORMATIVE FOR I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IN THIS TWENTY FIRST CENTURY,
IN THIS ATOMIC AGE, ALL MOTHERS ARE NOT ACTING LIKE MOTHERS.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN A CHILD COULD WALK DOWN THE STREET BESIDE HIS MOTHER HOLDING ON TO HER DRESS TAIL, BUT NOW THEY CAN’T REACH IT
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THEIR DRESS CAME BELOW THEIR KNEES, NOW YOU CAN SEE ALL YOU PLEASE
AND THAT’S WHY I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO GOT PREGNANT AND HAD A CHILD, I’M TALKING ABOUT A REAL BONAFIDE, GOD FEARING, 100% U.S. GOVERNMENT GRADE A CHOICE M.O.T.H.E.R WHO KNOWS WHO SHE IS AND WHO’S SHE IS.
A MOTHER THAT RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF HER FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD
THE KIND OF FAITH THAT CAUSES HER TO NURTURE, PROTECT AND CARE FOR HER CHILDREN IN ONLY A WAY A MOTHER CAN AND THAT FAITH CAUSED HER TO RELY ON GOD TO SEE HER THROUGH NO MATTER WHAT.
WHEN I BEGAN TO DO THE RESEARCH FOR THIS MESSAGE, I WENT TO SEVERAL SITES ON THE INTERNET AND CHECKED A FEW HUNDRED SERMONS LOOKING FOR SOME CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT A MOTHER’S DAY SERMON ENTAILED BECAUSE AS I SAID, I’M NOT A TRADITIONALIST.
YOU SEE I’M CRAZY ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT EVERYDAY OUGHT TO BE MOTHER’S DAY BECAUSE A MOTHER POSSESSES THAT AGAPE TYPE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE TOWARDS THEIR CHILDREN THAT LAST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I SEARCHED AND SEARCHED AND TO MY SURPRISE I COULDN’T FIND ONE SOLITARY MENTION OF JACOBED, THE MOTHER OF MOSES, AND I FOUND THAT AMAZING BECAUSE SHE EPITIMIZES A MOTHER’S FAITH IN GOD WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING HER CHILDREN.
SHE EPITIMIZES THE LENGTH A MOTHER WILL GO THROUGH FOR HER CHILDREN AND THE PERILS SHE WILL FACE TO PROTECT THE LIFE OF HER CHILD.
JACOBED’S FEAR AND CONCERN AS A MOTHER BEGAN THE DAY MOSES WAS BORN BECAUSE PHAROAH AFTER LOOKING OVER HIS KINGDOM ONE DAY IMPLEMENTED A NEFARIOUS PLAN CALLED GENOCIDE AND THEN INFANTICIDE THAT WAS MEANT TO EXTERMINATE THE HEBREW RACE.
AND BECAUSE OF HIS SELF INDUCED FEAR HE INSTRUCTED THE MID-WIVES THAT WHEN THEY ATTENDED TO THE HEBREW WOMEN IF IT WAS A MALE CHILD HE WAS TO BE DROWNED IN THE RIVER, BUT THE MID WIVES WERE MORE AFRAID OF THE WRATH OF GOD THAN THEY WERE OF PHAROAH AND WHEN HE QUESTIONED THEM ABOUT DISOBEYING HIS COMMAND, THEY LIED AND TOLD HIM THE HEBREW WOMEN WERE STRONG WOMEN AND WHEN THEY GOT TO THEM THEY HAD ALREADY DELIVERED.
SO PHAROAH ISSUED ANOTHER DECREE THAT SAID ANY MALE UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE WAS TO BE KILLED.
AND SO JACOBED’S FAITH IN GOD WAS PUT INTO PLAY THE MINUTE MOSES WAS BORN AND SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD TO PROTECT HIM BUT SHE TRUSTED THE REST TO GOD.
SHE BELIEVED MOSES TO BE A SPECIAL CHILD.
SHE SAW HIM SPECIALLY RELATED TO GOD’S PLAN AND SHE DETERMINED THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO HER HE HAD TO LIVE.
I CAN SEE WITH MY WEIRD IMAGINATION, SISTER BERTHA BETTER THAN THOU WHO LIVED NEXT DOOR TO JACOBED.
SHE HAD LOST HER CHILD AND SHE BECAME SUSPICIOUS OF ALL THE ACTIVITY GOING ON AND DECIDED THAT IF SHE COULDN’T HAVE HER SON, JACOBED HAD NO REASON TO BE HAPPY EITHER.
I KNOW WE DON’T HAVE ANYBODY IN HERE LIKE THAT THIS MORNING BECAUSE I KNOW YOU’RE ALL GOD FEARING MOTHERS
WHAT SIS. BERTHA BETTER THAN THOU DIDN’T KNOW WAS GOD’S HAND OF PROVIDENTIALITY WAS STIRRING THE POT OF JACOBED’S CIRCUMSTANCES.
LET ME PARK RIGHT HERE FOR JUST A MINUTE…THIS STORY MADE ME WONDER ABOUT WOMEN WHO COULD ABANDON THEIR CHILDREN AND LEAVE THEM DEFENSELESS WITH NO REMORSE WHATSOEVER
WOMEN WHO COULD ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO BE LOCKED UP IN DOG CAGES AND STARVED TO DEATH
WOMEN WHO COULD THROW THEIR BABIES IN DUMPSTERS LIKE THEY WERE TRASH
THAT’S WHEN I CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT BEING A WOMAN AND HAVING A BABY DOES NOT NECESSARILY QUALIFY YOU TO BE A MOTHER.
YOU SEE, MOTHERHOOD IS A SPECIAL THING…EVERYTHING A CHILD LEARNS WHILE THEY ARE IN THEIR IMPRESSIONISTIC YEARS,
THEIR PLASTIC YEARS,
THEIR FORMIDABLE YEARS THEY LEARN FROM THEIR MOTHER.
THEIR FIRST PRAYER AND THE FIRST WORD THEY UTTER, THEY LEARN FROM THEIR MOTHER AND I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE MOTHER TONGUE.
IN CASE SOME OF YOU THINK I WAS BORN WITH THIS ROBE ON, I WANT YOU TO KNOW I WASN’T. I HAD A MOTHER WHO WAS VERY SPECIAL TO ME AND WE GOT ALONG LIKE TWO PEAS IN A POD, BUT SHE MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO ME AT AN EARLY AGE THAT CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF SHE WAS NOT MY BEST FRIEND BUT MY MOTHER.
I HAVE 17 SISTERS AND WHILE THEY WERE HOME MAMA LET THEM KNOW SHE WAS THEIR MOTHER AND SHE HAD NO DESIRE TO DRESS LIKE THEM
TALK LIKE THEM
HANG OUT WITH THEM
OR ACT LIKE THEM
BUT IF THEY EVER NEEDED SOMEBODY TO TALK TOO
WHEN THEY NEEDED A HELPING HAND
WHEN THEY NEEDED SOMEBODY TO CHEER THEM ON MAMA WAS ALWAYS THERE.
WHEN WE WERE WRONG SHE HAD THAT SPECIAL WAY OF LOOKING AT US THAT SAID I’M NOT PLEASED WITH WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND IF YOU DON’T CORRECT THE PROBLEM I’M GOING TO BE FORCED TO DO IT FOR YOU.
AND SPEAKING OF CORRECTION, WE TALK ABOUT CHILD ABUSE NOW BUT IF THERE WAS EVER A PERSON THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP ON CHARGES, MY MOTHER WAS IT. WHATEVER WAS AVAILABLE TO HER AT THE TIME WAS IN PLAY AS FAR AS SHE WAS CONCERNED.
I’M NOT TALKING TO YOU NOW; I’M TALKING TO THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU.
I REMEMBER ONE-DAY IN F.W. WOOLWORTH’S WHEN I WAS ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD. I ASKED FOR SOMETHING THAT SHE SAID I COULDN’T HAVE.
I LOOKED AROUND AND NOTICED SOME OF THE WHITE CHILDREN AROUND ME WERE FALLING OUT ON THE FLOOR, HOOPING AND HOLLERING AND IT SEEMED TO WORK FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED, SO I DECIDED TO DO THE SAME THING AND MUCH TO MY SURPRISE SHE TOOK OFF HER SIZE 6 SHOE AND BEGAN TO MAKE SIZE 8 WHELPS ON MY BOTTOM WHILE SAYING, OH YOU WANT TO SHOW OUT ON ME HUH, WELL GO AHEAD MR. BENITEZ BECAUSE WHEREVER YOU SHOW OUT THE REAL ME WILL SHOW UP BECAUSE IT’S MY DUTY AS YOUR MOTHER TO JOIN IN WITH YOU AND NOT ALLOW YOU TO HAVE ALL THIS FUN BY YOURSELF. AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS GOING TO HURT ME WORSE THAN IT GOING TO HURT YOU.
BUT I STAND BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING AS LIVING PROOF THAT BECAUSE OF HER STRICTNESS
BECAUSE OF HER STEDFASTNESS
BECAUSE OF HER FAITH IN GOD
BECAUSE OF HER NEVER ENDING LOVE
I WOULD AWAKE SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND FIND HER LEANING OVER MY BED
TEARS ROLLING DOWN ON MY FACE ASKING GOD TO TAKE CARE OF ME AND HELP HER BE THE MOTHER THAT SHE SHOULD BE
OH YES, I MAY HAVE STRAYED AWAY LATER ON IN MY LIFE, WHEN I BEGAN TO SMELL MYSELF.
WHEN I WAS IN MY HELL RAISING YEARS, BUT I FOUND OUT EVEN THEN THAT SHE LOVED ME IN SPITE OF MYSELF.
I REMEMBERED WHAT SHE TAUGHT ME WHILE I WAS IN MY IMPESSIONISTIC YEARS AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
IF YOU CATCH ME STRAYING LIKE THAT AGAIN JUST THROW UP YOUR HANDS AND I’LL COME ON BACK
IN OUR TEXT TODAY, WE FIND THAT JACOBED WAS THAT TYPE OF MOTHER. FROM THE TIME OF MOSES BIRTH SHE WAS ON GUARD TO PROTECT HIM FROM DANGERS SEEN AND UNSEEN.
SHE HAD THE COURAGE TO DEFY PHAROAH, BECAUSE HER MOTIVE WAS OBEDIENCE TO GOD, AND HER FAITH SENT HER INTO ACTION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
HER FAITH MADE HER INVENTIVE.
WHEN TROUBLE CAME AND SHE KNEW SHE COULDN’T HIDE HIM OR PROTECT HIM ANY LONGER I CAN SEE IN MY MINDS EYE THAT AS SHE HELD HIM IN HER ARMS, SHE PROSTRATED HERSELF AND SAID LORD GOD; I NEED YOU NOW BECAUSE I CAN’T DO THIS BY MYSELF.
I’VE TAKEN CARE OF MY BOY THE BEST THAT I KNOW HOW, BUT IT’S GETTING HARDER EVERY DAY, SO IF YOU WOULD, WOULD YOU PLEASE.
I NEED YOU TO TAKE OVER NOW AND MAKE EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT.
I STOPPED BY HERE THIS MORNING TO TELL YOU WHATEVER IT IS YOU’RE GOING THROUGH PRAYER WILL GET GOD’S ATTENTION, BUT TEARS WILL SEND HIM INTO ACTION.
THE BIBLE DOSEN’T SAY WHAT HER OCCUPATION WAS BUT IT SAYS SHE TOOK SOME REEDS FROM THE RIVER BANKS AND DAUBED THEM WITH SLIME AND WITH PITCH AND BEGAN TO FORM AN ARK.
SHE MADE SURE IT WAS COMFORTABLE
SHE MADE SURE IT WAS WATERPROOF,
SHE MADE SURE IT WAS COMFORTABLE
SO IT COULD STAND AGAINST THE TIDES
AND WHEN SHE FINISHED, SHE LAID HIM DOWN AND SET HIM AFLOAT SO THE CURRENTS WOULD TAKE HIM DOWNRIVER.
SHE TOLD HIS SISTER MIRIAM TO WALK ALONG THE RIVER BANKS AND KEEP AN EYE ON HIM TO MAKE SURE NOTHING HAPPENED TO HIM.
THAT TELLS ME THAT SHE HAD HOPE.
THAT TELLS ME SHE HAD FAITH.
THAT TELLS ME THAT SHE TRUSTED IN GOD TO DO HIS PART.
I CAN SEE WITH MY MINDS EYE AS THE ARK STARTED DOWN THE RIVER,
WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN HER FACE, SHE SAID NOW LORD HE’S IN YOUR HANDS
I DID THE BEST I COULD BUT I COULDN’T HIDE HIM ANY LONGER
I DIDN’T HAVE THE TIME I NEEDED WITH HIM
I DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO GIVE HIM A PROPER NAME BECAUSE OF THE HUSSLE AND THE BUSTLE I’VE GONE THROUGH SINCE HIS BIRTH
BUT IF YOU WOULD, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE CARE OF MY BOY.
ONLY A MOTHER KNOWS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LOSE A CHILD OR TO HAVE TO LET ONE GO
YOU CAN BE AN AUNT, A GRANDMOTHER, OR A NEICE, BUT ONLY A MOTHER KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE TO LET GO.
THE ARK FLOATED DOWN THE RIVER TO WHERE PHAROAH’S DAUGHTER WAS TAKING A BATH AND SHE SENT ONE OF HER MAID SERVANTS TO SEE WHAT WAS IN IT.
SHE SAW THAT IT WAS A HEBREW CHILD, I DON’T KNOW IF SHE HAD ANY CHILDREN OF HER OWN OR NOT, BUT HER MATERNAL INSTINCT TOOK OVER, AND SHE SAID I KNOW HE’S A HEBREW CHILD BUT I’M GOING TO KEEP HIM AND RAISE HIM AS MY OWN.
THE BIBLE SAYS HIS SISTER STEPPED OUT FROM THE REEDS AND ASKED DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AND GET ONE OF THE HEBREW MOTHERS TO NURSE HIM FOR YOU AND SHE WENT AND GOT THE CHILD’S MOTHER.
I CAN SEE MIRIAM AS SHE RUNS IN THE HOUSE TO TELL HER MOTHER WHAT PHAROAH’S DAUGHTER HAD SAID, BUT WHEN SHE GOT TO THE PART ABOUT HER WANTING SOMEBODY TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILD SHE WAS TALKING TO JACOBED’S BACK BECAUSE SHE WAS ALREADY ON HER WAY TO GET HER CHILD
HASH-E-PUTH SAID WILL YOU TAKE THIS CHILD AND NURSE HIM FOR ME AND I’LL PAY YOU WAGES
GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM NOT ONLY ANSWERED HER PRAYER BY BRINGING HIM BACK TO HER AND GIVING HER THE DESIRES OF HER HEART BUT SHE WAS GOING TO GET PAID TO TAKE CARE OF HER OWN SON.
BECAUSE OF HER FAITH HIS FUTURE WAS NOW SECURE.
HER FAITH IN GOD CAUSED HIM TO GO BEYOND MERE DELIVERANCE IN ALLOWING HER TO RAISE HER OWN CHILD.
YES HER TIME WITH HIM WOULD BE LIMITED.
BUT NOW SHE COULD GROUND HIM IN GOD’S WAY.
NOW SHE COULD TRAIN HIM UP IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO.
AND THAT TELLS ME THAT IF YOU AS A MOTHER WOULD TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, AND IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATH.
NOW SISTER BERTHA BETTER THAN THOU COULD SAY WHAT SHE WANTED TO, FOR THIS WAS NOW PHAROAH’S DAUGHTER’S ADOPTED SON THAT SHE HAD NAMED MOSES BECAUSE SHE HAD PULLED HIM FROM THE WATER AND NOW HE WOULD LIVE.
WE’RE GOING HOME NOW…
AFTER HE WAS WEANED IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO LEAVE THE MUDHUT AND GO TO LIVE IN THE BIG HOUSE
I CAN SEE JACOBED AS SHE SITS HIM ON HER KNEE AND PULLS HIM CLOSE TO HER
SHE DON’T WANT TO TURN HIM LOOSE BUT SHE KNOWS HE’S GOT TO GO.
SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT GOD GAVE HIM BACK TO HER FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE.
I CAN HEAR HER AS SHE BEGINS TO EXPLAIN WHAT’S GOING ON TO HIM
I’VE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE
I’VE LOVED YOU AS ONLY A MOTHER COULD.
I’VE TRIED TO BRING YOU UP THE RIGHT WAY AND TEACH YOU WHAT YOU NEEDED TO KNOW TO SURVIVE IN THIS WORLD.
I’VE TAUGHT YOU TO HAVE FAITH IN GOD
I’VE TAUGHT YOU TO BE OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD
I’VE TAUGHT YOU TO TRUST IN GOD, AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING
BUT NOW IT’S TIME FOR ME TO LET YOU GO
SHE CAN GIVE YOU THE FINER THINGS OF THIS WORLD
BUT SHE’LL NEVER GIVE YOU A MOTHER’S LOVE
SHE CAN HAVE YOUR BODY, BUT SHE CAN’T HAVE YOUR HEART
SHE CAN GIVE YOU AN EDUCATION, BUT SHE CAN’T HAVE YOUR MIND
WHEN YOU GET TO THE BIG HOUSE I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THE VALUES THAT I TRIED TO INSTILL IN YOU
I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND HOW GOD LOOKED AFTER YOU AND BROUGHT YOU THROUGH
SHE MUST HAVE DONE AN OK JOB, BECAUSE MOSES BECAME A LEADER OF HIS PEOPLE.
HIS BROTHER AARON BECAME A HIGH PRIEST
HIS SISTER MARIAM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF BOTH HER BROTHERS.
I KNOW WHAT JACOBED SAID BECAUSE I HAD A MOTHER, WHO PRAYED FOR ME.
I HAD A MOTHER WHO PRAYED WITH ME.
I HAD A MOTHER WHO LOVED ME IN SPITE OF MYSELF.
WHEN I WAS IN MY HELL RAISING YEARS, SOMETIMES I’D COME HOME LATE IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR AND FIND HER ON HER KNEES, OR WALKING AROUND IN HER ROOM WRINGING HER HANDS.
SAYING, LORD TAKE CARE OF MY BOY
I DON’T KNOW WHERE HE IS, OR WHAT HE’S DOING BUT TAKE CARE OF HIM FOR ME.
AND I STAND BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING AS LIVING PROOF THAT I NEVER FORGOT WHAT SHE TAUGHT ME
NOW I CAN SAY WITH THE HYMNOLOGIST WITH AUTHORITY AND CONVICTION THAT A MOTHER LOVES HER CHILDREN ALL THE TIME. NO MATTER WHAT BE THE CRIME.
SHE’LL SAY THIS CHILD IS MINE, BECAUSE A MOTHER LOVES HER CHILDREN….
