Mothers of Moses

The story of Moses' two mothers intrigued me when I first heard it in Sunday school.  May I re-tell it?    

When Moses was born, the Pharaoh ordered that all newborn Hebrew boys should die. But Moses’ mother, Jochebed, disobeyed the king. Despite the danger of being caught by Pharaoh's soldiers, who searched everywhere, she hid Moses for three months. 

Then she made a basket of bulrushes and placed baby Moses there. She laid this tiny boat-like basket in the bank of the Nile River.
Just then, the Pharaoh's daughter came down the river to bathe and saw the basket. What she saw in it touched her heart. She fell in love with the baby boy—kicking and playfully smiling—and decided to take him as her own child!

Meanwhile, Moses’ older sister, Miriam, went to the Pharaoh’s daughter and asked if she wanted a yaya to take care of the baby. As soon as the princess said yes, Miriam went to fetch her mother Jochebed. And so Moses’ real mother took care of him while his adoptive mother, the Pharaoh’s daughter, gave him all the comforts he needed  while growing up.

How wonderful to have two mothers!

And how rarely a child is blessed with two mothers. In Moses’ case, he had a birth mother and an adoptive mother who both disobeyed a powerful Pharaoh for him! 

Mothers are extremely brave; they would do anything to save their children from harm. They inspired this famous tribute to them, "God could not be everywhere, so He gave us a mother.”

Moses was special and needed the right kind of start, so God gave him two! 

If you are reading this and you have two moms (birth and adoptive), thank God for such a privilege.

Thank You, Lord, for all birth and adoptive mothers. Please pour Your grace upon them.  

Genesis 2:10 ". . . she named him Moses, 'Because,' she said, 'I drew him out of water.'" 

(The above is the May 2 entry in my book, “Grace Found Me.”)

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This piece is particularly poignant for me as I reflect on the recent death of my Auntie Pat, my mom's younger sister and best friend. 

At her Necrological Service a few days ago, my sister Aie spoke and said, “Auntie Pat extended my mother's life. When mom passed away, I frequently visited Auntie Pat because in a wonderful way, she took over my mom. I felt mom's love just by being with her.

"My sister Grace wrote a book entitled, 'The Boy Who Had five Lolas.'

"With Auntie Pat, I look at myself and say,  I am 'The Girl Who Had Two Mothers.'"

My sister Aie expressed exactly what I feel.