Thriving on the Edge

Thriving on the Edge

Exodus 2:  1-10, AMP

Now a [a]man of the house of Levi [the priestly tribe] went and took as his wife a daughter of Levi. 2 The woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw that he was [especially] beautiful and healthy, she hid him for three months [to protect him from the Egyptians]. 3 When she could no longer hide him, she got him a basket (chest) made of papyrus reeds and covered it with tar and pitch [making it waterproof]. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 And his sister [Miriam] stood some distance away to find out what would happen to him.

5 Now the [b]daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, and [she, together with] her maidens walked along the river’s bank; she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid [to get it], and she brought it to her. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. And she took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a [c]wet-nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 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. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. And she named him [d]Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.

Introduction

We shared on Sunday that edgy choices can be difficult.  Decisions birthed in adversity are often the result of people daring to hold to hope, even when hopelessness is all around them.  Jochebeb is an example of a person who makes a creative, innovative and life-giving choice all while contending with the potential for despair, devastation and death.  When faced with the choice to comply with Pharoah's edict to kill her baby body, she chooses not to.  Instead, she chooses to take risky action and in so doing becomes a partner with GOD's plan of divine deliverance for the Hebrews out of Egypt and the establishment of a peculiar people in the Wilderness.  

I want to assert tonight that we not only can make edgy decisions, but when our leap of faith matches the Providence of GOD, we can produce greater thriving for ourselves, our communities and those connected to us.  Remember we learned on last week that Shiprah and Puah were able to build households of their own due to GOD blessing them.  GOD blessed them because they would not partner with Pharaoh's evil plot, instead they allowed Hebrew baby boys to thrive even on the edge of destruction; GOD can still bless on the edge.  GOD does it in the life of Jochebed and Amram's family.  How:  

Consider Exodus 2: 1-10, AMP

1. Through the power of vision
2. Through patience under pressure
3. Through non-boisterous, yet, accurately applied faith
4. Through relevant relationships - not just attached but connected
5. Through a purposeful pivot-game
6. Through unlikely divine assigned agents who will be compelled to operate within the Divine plan of GOD.