Life is full of hard decisions and difficulties. Truthfully, we can all agree to some extent that at times life is seemingly just too hard and leaves us with tears, questions, and the overwhelming feeling that the pain in life will devour us whole. These types of emotions are common to just about everyone at some point or another in life, however to those of us who are parents you probably have felt a little more of life’s pressure. Our children in our eyes are worth fighting for, no matter if it is us as a parent fighting to stand up for them, trying to take away their pains from life, or fighting for what is best in life for them. Regardless of the situation or circumstance we must understand that we all will face challenges, burdens, and pain.
I am reminded of a story found in the Bible about Moses. This story though is about Moses when he was a baby and the tough decision that his mother had to make. If you read the whole story, you know that Pharaoh gave an order saying that “every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile but let every girl live” (Exodus 1:22 NIV). Moses’ mother (Jochebed) saw he was a “fine child” and worked hard to hide him and protect him (Exodus 2:2). But I love how the passage in verse 3 says, “when she could hide him no longer” (NIV). I believe that we try hard for our children but there comes a point when we have to realize that we have to give them over to God and trust Him.
In the story we learn that Moses’ mother set her precious baby in a papyrus basket and placed the baby Moses in the Nile (Exodus 2:3). As parents and grandparents, we must learn to place them in the basket. Even in our own lives when we face challenges and difficulties, we simply must learn to place these things in the basket and give it to God we are not in control, but we know who is.
Once you realize God is in control, and you put your full trust in Him, you will find peace.
Today, no matter what you may be facing in your life, just put it in the basket.
Maybe it’s a difficult decision that you have searched and cannot find an answer to, just put it in the basket and trust God. Possibly it is worrying over your children or grandchildren and something they are facing in their lives, just put it in the basket.
Chances are, we all have something right now that we need to place in the basket, and trust God on.
Place it in the basket.
If you read the rest of the story, you will find that once she released him, she was allowing God to be God and she not saved his life but was able to care for him and teach him about God.
What do you need to place in the basket today?
Blessings,
Pastor Jonathan W. Pannell III
Rev. Jonathan W. Pannell III 