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Eleanor Cox: My favorite Bible story is about a baby boy, born into a situation that would challenge his growing up. A boy born to a mother who made the decision to safeguard him and give him the chance to live. It’s a story every child learns in Sunday School early on. It’s an exciting story to imagine a baby set afloat in a basket among the bulrushes. Then he’s rescued by a princess. Then his own selfless mother is brought in to help nurture him. 

I love this story. For me it has poignant and personal meaning. It parallels a young mother who chose to give up her baby son for a better life than was on her horizon at the time. It’s personal because I imagined for years the sacrifice that this mother made that gave me my son, Tres. I’ve lived in thanksgiving for her gift and for God allowing me and Ed to be chosen to be his mother and father. For such a gift I wished to be able to say thank you to this birth mother. I wished it for many years. And then the day came when she and Tres met and developed a relationship. I had the joy of telling her that heartfelt thank you I’d held in my heart for so long. Tres had the joy of spending time with her in her final years. 

Beyond this personal link to the story I’m reminded that God is always present, always in control, and we should never doubt that. After all, that baby boy in the basket eventually rescued his people. The baby in a basket is just the opening scene to the saga that was Moses’ story-and our story, that God will provide. Thanks be to God!

Catharine Evans: When I was growing up in Wilmington, NC, my mother read Bible stories to my two brothers and me at bedtime from a book titled Favorite Bible Stories. I have this book and took a stroll down memory lane when I was asked to write about my favorite Bible story. I chose “The Baby in the Basket.”

You all know the story—a wicked Pharaoh was fearful the Hebrews would multiply, form an army, and rise up against him and take away his throne. He ordered all male Hebrew babies be killed at birth. But Moses’ mother and sister Miriam found a way to keep him alive. At my young age, I thought it was magical the way Moses was saved and found by the Pharaoh’s daughter who wanted to raise him as her son. His mother was hired as his “nurse” to boot.

But it wasn’t magic. It was God at work, saving his people, and making his plan work. In our times, I sometimes find it difficult to realize God is making his plan work, but I know He is. I find goodness in people that I barely know; I find kindness in people and organizations helping others; and I find peace and hopefulness when I take the time to listen to the “quiet” while sitting on our back porch. I know God is there and is offering us “our basket” in spite of everything.

Prayer

Eleanor Cox: Dear God, thank you for the many ways you bless and provide for all your precious children. Amen and amen.

Catharine Evans: Lord—thank you for all the ways you guide and comfort us. Please be patient with us. Amen