Floating Moses
Scripture Reading — Exodus 2:1-10
She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
In Egypt the Israelites (Hebrews) flourished for generations, and eventually the Egyptians felt threatened. So the ruling Pharaoh decided that all Hebrew baby boys should be drowned at birth (Exodus 1). But one boy survived that holocaust—his mother hid him in a basket-boat among the reeds of the Nile River, and Pharaoh’s own daughter found him and decided to raise him.
Brought up as a prince in the king’s family, this baby was named Moses, because the princess pulled him out of the river and saved him. He grew up to be the liberator of his people, chosen by God to lead them back to their own land.
Another king many years later massacred children too. Out of fear and hatred, King Herod tried to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem after hearing that a new king had been born there (Matthew 2:13-18). Like Moses, one of those babies survived. He was the child Jesus, and he grew up to be the Savior of his people—and of all other peoples too—from the curse of sin and death.
Salvation comes to us through this baby boy, the Son of God, who was born into the family line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). He took up his human life to show us that our story isn’t about death, slavery, and oppression. Our story is about freedom, hope, and liberation—all found in our new life in Jesus Christ. Do you believe in him as your Savior?
Lord, we pray for all who are persecuted or oppressed. Let them discover the Christ as their Savior and liberator. Amen.
About the author — Thea Leunk
Thea Nyhoff Leunk has been a high school English teacher, a director of Christian education, a pastor of discipleship, and a regional coach for the Christian Reformed Church in North America. She is currently the senior pastor at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thea has also written courses for teens and young adults on world religions, Christian faith traditions, and science and the Bible. She and her husband have three adult children.
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