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Post by TaQuilla on Mar 16, 2007 10:12:45 GMT -5
This thread began here: virtuestrength.proboards81.com/index.cgi?board=bible&action=display&thread=1173709709&page=1#1173912699From Ex. 2:1-10 I see a woman of courage. She helped her mother to hide baby Moses in a basket, and then stayed behind and followed the basket to see what would happen. In her day, it may have been considered disrespectful for someone of her stature to approach the Pharaoh's daughter, and while she was bathing! But, the Lord led her to do something and she did it. She could have lived her life wondering what could have been, but instead she seized the opportunity that the Lord lay before her.
Because of her "no fear" approach to obedience, the Lord not only allowed for baby Moses to live (instead of drowning in the Nile like all other newborn males of his time), but to also be nursed by his very own mother! It just goes to show us that even when we don't understand, God's will is always more spectacular than our little minds can comprehend.
How many times have we been led to do something that we didn't quite understand, but after the fact made perfect sense?
How often have we felt on our hearts that we need to do a certain thing, but never did it? and only questioned God about it and let our fears stop us from accomplishing His will for our lives.
Miriam gives us a good example here of being the type of woman that He can use to accomplish His will in our lives and others, and this is only the beginning of her story...
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Post by TaQuilla on Mar 17, 2007 7:51:58 GMT -5
In Exodus 14:20-21, it is again confirmed that Miriam is a woman of God as she joins her brother in praising Him, by leading the women in a song and dance for the Lord. At this point in her life, she appears to be content with the direction that the Lord was providing through Moses, her younger brother (although she was a "prophetess" herself). But she was obviously harboring seeds of envy and discontentment in her heart, because they begin to sprout and manifest themselves in Numbers 12:1-16.
She begins to speak out against her brother, because of his choice of wife. Maybe she was worried that she'd no longer be the most important woman in his life. Or maybe she was worried that her younger brother was more important among the people of Israel than she was. Whatever the reason, she teams up with her other brother and she blurts out (in a way that only a jealous big sister could do) that Moses is NOT the only one who can receive a word from God. "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?...Hasn't He spoken also through us?" (12:2) She was no longer content w/her role of "supporting cast," she wanted to be the star. And because of her discontentment w/her role, even what she had was taken away, and she was struck w/leprosy. Praise God that her brother felt sorry for her and interceded to the Lord on her behalf, and after seven days she was healed.
This makes me realize that I have to be content with the role that God has placed me in as a wife and mother. So often society tries to convince me that I should be the star, going to work, striving for career goals, getting as much education as possible so that I will be more "respected" by those outside of my home. But God has established certain roles for everyone, and when I begin to take those roles for granted, or want someone else's role, the Lord looks at me as he did Miriam, an ungrateful woman who should be happy and content to follow His will. Just as w/Miriam, he may choose to use me in a much more discreet way. Although Miriam was not the one to lead the people out of Egypt and towards the promised land, it was because of her that Moses was even able to fulfill his role. If she hadn't allowed the Lord to use her to do the small task of watching that basket float down the river, her baby brother couldn't acheive all that he did in his lifetime.
The Lord may have something spectacular in store for my husband and his role of leadership in our household (or for my son, for that matter), but if I am too busy w/my own agenda, and trying to play a role that I was not born for, we may all miss the mark. I must remember to never underestimate the power of being "behind the scenes" so to speak, because what I do, at home, everyday, is much more than I could ever do, out chasing down dreams that the Lord himself does not even approve of. I must humble step back, and allow the person that God placed as head over his household to lead as the Lord directs him.
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