A Providential Plan
September 11, 2023
A Providential Plan
By Brooke Holt
"Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him." Exodus 2:1-4 (“The Great “I AM’” Study Reading: Exodus 2:1-10)
Growing up, I was blessed to have Father (now the Rt. Reverend) Frank Gray as our parish priest and neighbor. At the time, I saw him as my parents’ friend and my friends’ parent. However, look back I easily see how God placed this man and his wonderful family in my path to nurture my faith. One of Father Gray’s favorite sayings has always stuck with me: “There are no coincidences, only God-incidences”. He was referring to the providential work of the Lord, exactly what we see in this second chapter of Exodus.
Pharaoh had declared all Hebrew males must be killed at birth, but when the Levite couple saw their newborn son, they knew he was special, so they had to protect him. They hid him as long as possible. After three months, however, they had to take action, so they made a basket of bulrushes which would both protect the baby and stay afloat upon the Nile River. They tucked him into the basket and placed it amongst the reeds along the riverbank. I can only imagine the angst his mother, father, and sister felt as they entrusted this beautiful infant to the Lord.
Miriam, still protective of her baby brother, followed the basket as it floated along the water where a young woman, the Pharaoh’s daughter pulled it ashore. Despite her father’s decree, she felt compassion for this abandoned Hebrew boy. When Miriam popped out of the bushes and offered to find a nurse, Pharaoh’s daughter not only accepted her offer but also promised wages for the woman. Ultimately, Pharaoh’s daughter returned the baby to his mother’s care along with payment and protection. Only God could orchestrate that! Once weaned, they returned the child to Pharoah’s daughter to be raised in the royal household. Although she was Egyptian, she gave him the name Moses which sounds like a Hebrew word meaning “to draw out”, for she had drawn him out of the water (verse 10).
Moses was rescued from a cruel fate by the daughter of the man who devised it. He was returned to the family who gave him up to protect him. Then he was brought up and educated in Pharaoh’s palace. As Father Gray would say, those are not coincidences, they are God-incidences. The Lord had a plan for Moses. Even before he was born, God chose him to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. His life would be full of miracles, messes, and opportunities, but it would not be easy.
God has a plan for your life as well. Sometimes it can be difficult to believe such divine attention exists or, if it does, that we could possibly be deserving. We might be healing from painful childhoods, traumatic events, or even the consequences of our own poor choices, but we are never alone. We are known and loved by a God who sees not only who we are, but who he created us to be. He is faithful to that vision and shapes us through every experience.
Reflection:
Where do you see the providential hand of God at work in your life? Take a moment to thank him for all he has placed in your path to draw you nearer to him. We would love to see your thoughts in the comments.
Want more content about the book of Exodus? Check out "The Great 'I AM'" study written by Charlie and Brooke Holt below.
Related Resource:
Come explore the grand story of God as the one who knows and loves his people. In one of the greatest love stories ever told, The Book of Exodus reveals God as Yahweh, the Great “I AM.” He is the transcendent, all-powerful creator of all things who defeated the greatest powers of the earth. This same God would have his people know and love him in an intimate and personal way. The Great “I AM” – A Study of the Book of Exodus is a 9-week study consisting of a small group study guide combined with weekly video teachings. Come and meet The Great “I AM”.
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