“And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank” (Exodus 2:1-3).
The parents of baby Moses certainly went through a season of calamity. After nervously waiting nine months, it became clear. The new baby was a boy, and Pharoah had declared a death sentence on him before he had drawn his first breath (Exodus 1:22). But Jochebed, his mother, held out faith and hope, placing her baby into the hands of God. And God brought a miracle out of their calamity.
“And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’ Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?’ And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Go.’ So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, ‘Because I drew him out of the water’” (Exodus 2:4-10).
Jochebed’s story includes overcoming the fear surrounding the birth of her boy child, how she wisely skirted the death sentence hanging over his head, and how she handled the stress of waiting, wondering, and worrying over it all. Her experience serves as an example to us of how we too can comeback from the devastating effects of calamity.
“So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive’” (Exodus 1:22).
The news reached the houses of every Hebrew in the land, and those couples about to have a baby saw their uncontainable joy turned into uncontrollable mourning. Life as slaves in ancient Egypt had suddenly gotten much worse.
What do you do when calamity strikes, when it comes out of nowhere, catches you off guard, and turns your world upside down? The faith of Jochebed provides us with a powerful path that we too can travel down and come back from calamity.
Calamity tries to rob you of your purpose. As Helen Keller once said, the only thing sadder than not having sight, is having sight but no vision. That’s usually the condition that calamity leaves us in – it causes us to lose sight of God’s vision for our lives.
The enemy sends calamity to steal, kill and destroy, and it often stops us being able to move forward. It leaves us beaten down and we forget that, despite everything, God still has a purpose for us and a good plan for our lives.
If we stay faithful to God despite the calamity, God will turn things around and use the calamity as fuel to empower us to make an impact for Him (Romans 8:28). This outcome often outweighs our wildest dreams, even before the calamity struck. God will not allow the enemy to have the final word in the lives of His faithful children. That’s why Scripture reminds us:
He will give us beauty for ashes (Isaiah 61:3).
The oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).
Double for our trouble (Isaiah 61:7).
And a 7-fold return when a thief is caught (Proverbs 6:31)!
Calamity may come, but it will not have the final say. And I promise you, He will make the enemy pay!
Moses was 100% Levi, the tribe of Israel that was specially designated by God to provide for the religious and spiritual leadership of Israel. The Levites were loyal to God as they served as priests to bridge the holiness gap between God and Israel in the Old Testament. As a Levite, Moses was prequalified for his purpose of becoming one of Israel’s greatest spiritual leaders.
Although his birth seemed untimely, in truth, it was all part of God’s purpose.
Calamity doesn’t cancel the purpose of God, and in fact the purpose of God may be the reason for the calamity. In other words, the calamity may have been sent to cancel the calling; but the devil is a liar!
Every person’s life, no matter what they face, has divine purpose: an assignment from heaven to impact and influence this world for the cause of Christ. And they have been perfectly created for success.
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:13-16).
Do you know what that means? It means you were born on purpose! You are not an accident. You are not the result of random chance. You were born in the mind and heart of God, and no calamity can cancel your purpose.
Imagine the struggle Jochebed must have had being pregnant during a time when Pharaoh had ordered all the midwives to kill any newborn Hebrew boys. Nine months probably never seemed so long. Night after night praying… God please, please allow this baby to be a girl.
She was put in a situation that was caused by someone else and the seemingly inevitable outcome was as painful as it could get. This was not a pain that came upon the child because of Jochebed’s own actions. Her child wasn’t born with an illness that was uncaused, nor was her child born into a situation she created. No birth defects due to drinking or drugs, nor a situation where she got involved with the wrong guy and wound up pregnant. Not a situation where her child would struggle because the family was financially strapped. She was not responsible for the pain she was about to experience – it was from someone else.
The rage and bitterness she likely felt in her heart were real and warranted. And like us, she would face the temptation to dull the pain by placing the blame on someone.
It was Pharoah’s fault. It was her husband Amram’s fault. It was her own fault…maybe even it was God’s fault!
We often turn to the blame game in order to relieve the burden and dull the pain. But blame doesn’t remove the pain; in fact, it can sometimes deepen it. It can turn into bitterness and unforgiveness which poisons our lives and blocks our prayers.
Don’t fall for the trap; look instead to what God can do! It’s all a plot of the enemy to keep us from coming back from calamity. Remember what Jesus said when his disciples asked why a certain man was born blind.
“Jesus said, ‘You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here’” (John 9:3-5, The Message).
Instead of looking for someone or something to blame, focus your attention on what God can do. Focus not on the calamity, but on the cure, not on the hurt, but on the Healer, not on the pain, but on the promise keeper!
Focus on the One who has all power in His hands!
This is most important when calamity hits. The temptation is great to doubt God, question God, and even turn our backs on God. Nevertheless, it’s another trick of the enemy to keep us from coming back successfully from calamity.
For three months they hid baby Moses. But disguising the cries of a newborn is just impossible. Ultimately, Jochebed leaned into her faith and trusted in God.
And so she said to herself… “I’m just not throwing this child into the river to die! I’m making a basket for him. God’s in control of the situation and I’m going to trust Him to do what’s best.”
It takes trust to place your treasure in the hands of God. And I believe it was because she knew God could be trusted. Jochebed surely knew the story of Noah’s ark, and how God kept Noah and his family safe in that ark. And although the word used for the object that Jochebed placed Moses in is translated “basket” the Hebrew word could an be translated “ark.” Jochebed put her faith in the God who had a track record of being trustworthy. When Jochebed places Moses in the basket, onto the crocodile infested Nile River and into the hands of God, she teaches that to comeback from calamity we must remember God can be trusted!
When the enemy tries to get you turn on God due to calamity, start recounting all the ways God has been and is trustworthy in your life.
Jochebed did what was possible. She made a basket of papyrus or bulrushes, and sealed it so it wouldn’t sink.
God expects us to do our part in order to comeback from calamity. He expects us to say “I’m sorry” when we are wrong, forgive when we are hurt, and search for a job when we are unemployed. But what is possible for us to do is not always easy to do. It’s not easy to apologize or commit to something when there is a personal cost. It’s not easy to serve when your time is limited, or tithe when you’re tight on finances. And it wasn’t easy for Jochebed to place her treasure in a basket, onto the Nile and into the hands of God. But she did, and experienced a miracle.
“Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children’” (Exodus 2:5-6).
The discovery of this Hebrew baby under any other condition would have led to his death. Instead, it led to his protection: God used the princess to override her father’s death decree. God providentially ordered her steps that day, because when we do what’s possible, God does the impossible!
In fact, when faced with any kind of calamity in life, remember you have been created for a purpose that does not stop simply because of temporary circumstances. Keep your focus on God, who is not limited in the slightest by our obstacles. Trust Him, and listen for His wisdom in the matter. And stay in faith that when you are obedient to His instructions, He will do the impossible!
Frank Santora is Lead Pastor of Faith Church, a multi-site church with locations in Connecticut and New York. Pastor Frank hosts a weekly television show, “Destined to Win,” which airs weekly on the Hillsong Channel and TBN. He has authored thirteen books, including the most recent, Modern Day Psalms and Good Good Father. To learn more about Pastor Frank and this ministry, please visit www.franksantora.cc. Photo by Michele Roman.
He is a cross pendant.
He is engraved with a unique Number.
He will mail it out from Jerusalem.
He will be sent to your Side.
Emmanuel
Bible Verses About Welcoming ImmigrantsEmbracing the StrangerAs we journey through life, we often encounter individuals who are not of our nationality......
Who We AreWhat We EelieveWhat We Do
2025 by lntellectual Reserve,Inc All rights reserved.
