God Will Provide a Way!

Reading:  Exodus 1
My Verse:  "But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live"  (1:17).

I have always thought this passage interesting.  It is an important issue.  We are taught by You LORD God to be obedient to those in authority over us.  Yet there are times when because of corruptness and evil those in authority over us command that which is contrary to You and what You stand for - in this particular case the sacredness of human life.  Yet You will see us through such difficult times.

Because the midwives knew You as their LORD, they knew the king's command to kill the Israelite newborn male babies was wrong and so "did not do as the king of Egypt commanded."  It even appears they were deceptive when they told the king the reason they were not obeying was because "the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them." 

I am learning that I have to be careful what I read into things I read in the Bible.  Sometimes I am reading into it what isn't there.  One does not know for sure how the midwives dealt with this.  The narrator is not clear, he seems to be simply making a point here that the midwives did not kill the babies.  They found some technicality that allowed them to not follow the command of the king.  Because they loved You, LORD God, I have to believe that You provided them this way out - a way for them to not kill the newborn male babies.

Then God blessed them for this!  "And because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households of their own"  (1:21).  Because of their outstanding behaviour two of the women are even named - Shiphrah and Puah.  This verse seems to indicate that the women previously did not have their own families - either they were unmarried or did not have children.  But You LORD God blessed them with their own families.  Sweet!

This is a really extraordinary event as it reveals something else you would not think about. 
The Israelites were living in an awful time, they had become enslaved and the slavery grew harsher and harsher.  "And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery.  They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of works in the field.  All their service was with harshness and severity" (1:13,14).  Yet even amidst the awful slavery, and now this horrendous command from the king, we find there are believers.  These women who did not have their own families were believers in You, LORD God. 

These ladies were just ordinary folk doing their jobs.  They were suddenly put into an most awful spotlight and yet because they loved You, You provided for them.  You lead them through and even blessed them for their exemplary reaction and behavior.

Oh, LORD God, help me today to be as these midwives.  Help me to be so tuned into You that I react to any situation placed before me with a Godly reaction - one that would please You.  Help me to always look up!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!