A Sister’s Courage: Protecting Baby Moses

In this episode of Bible Bytes, host Randy Black delves into the story of Miriam, the sister of Moses, as a testament to courage, wisdom, and faith in action. Miriam's vigilance and bravery played a crucial role in safeguarding her brother Moses during a time of great peril, ultimately positioning him for his future role in leading Israel's deliverance. Through her story, we explore how God calls us to act boldly in moments of danger and uncertainty, and how our courage can have lasting impacts for generations.

We reflect on key takeaways from Miriam's story, emphasizing that God can use anyone, regardless of age or status, to fulfill His purposes. Miriam's example teaches us that courage requires action in the face of risk, and that God's providence often works through human obedience. The episode also highlights the importance of family and community support, and how God can transform threatening situations into opportunities for His glory. Join us as we draw inspiration from Miriam's faithfulness and learn to trust in God's ability to bring beauty out of brokenness.

Episode Transcript

Unknown (00:05):
We gather here today
with open hearts and minds
to grow in faith and truth.

Randy Black (00:51):
Welcome to Bible Bites, the podcast where we work to inspire faith
one bite at a time. I'm your host,
Randy Black.
Throughout scripture,
God often uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways to fulfill his purposes.
Miriam, the sister of Moses, is a shining example of courage,

(01:12):
wisdom,
and faith in action.
As a young girl, she took on a critical role in safeguarding her baby brother's life during a time when Pharaoh
had ordered the death of all Hebrew baby boys.
Her vigilance, quick thinking, and boldness not only preserved Moses's life,
but also positioned him to grow up in Pharaoh's household,

(01:33):
paving the way for God's greater plan of deliverance for Israel.
In studying Miriam's actions,
we can learn how God calls us to step up in moments of danger,
uncertainty,
and fear,
and how our courage
can have ripple effects for generations.
Before we dive into the scripture, let's open up

(01:56):
with a word of prayer.
Heavenly father, we thank you for the examples of courage you've given us in your word.
Today as we study Miriam's bravery and her role in protecting Moses,
open our hearts to understand how you can use our faith and actions
to accomplish your purposes.
Help us to recognize the moments when you call us to act boldly for your glory and the good of others.

(02:23):
Strengthen our courage,
guide our words,
and give us wisdom
in times of challenge.
In the name of your son, Jesus, we pray.
Amen.
The account in Exodus chapter one verses one through 10 begins
with a Levite couple
who,

(02:43):
upon the birth of their son,
recognized something special about him and hid him for three months.
This decision was an act of courage and faith,
considering that Pharaoh's decree was that all Hebrew boys were to be killed.
When hiding the child was no longer possible,
his mother placed him in a waterproof basket among the reeds of the Nile and trusting his life

(03:07):
to God's providence.
Miriam, the child's sister,
stationed herself at a distance to see what would happen.
This was not
passive observation.
She was on alert, ready to respond.
When Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe and discovered the basket,
she was moved with compassion upon finding the crying infant and recognizing him as a Hebrew child.

(03:33):
Miriam seized this moment of opportunity
and offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby,
a bold move for a young girl addressing royalty.
Pharaoh's daughter agreed, and Miriam brought the child's own mother,
who was then paid to care for him.
In an extraordinary turn,

(03:53):
the very forces that sought the child's destruction
became the means
of his protection
and provision.
Later, when the boy grew, he was brought back to Pharaoh's daughter
who named him Moses saying, I drew him
out of the water.
Throughout these events, God's sovereign hand is evident.

(04:15):
The courage of Moses's family, the vigilance
of Miriam,
and the compassion of an Egyptian princess
all work together
to preserve the life of the one God had chosen to deliver Israel.
Miriam's readiness
to step forward at the right moment shows that even in dangerous
and uncertain situations,

(04:37):
God can work through those
who remain watchful
and faithful.
We have some key takeaways from our scripture today.
Our first is that God can use anyone no matter their age or their position.
Miriam was likely just a young girl when she stepped into this critical role, yet

(04:59):
God entrusted her with protecting his chosen deliverer.
This teaches us that God's call and power are not limited by our age, experience, or social standing.
Often, we underestimate
what God can do through us
because we feel too young,
too inexperienced,
or too ordinary.
But scripture repeatedly shows that

(05:20):
God delights in using willing hearts regardless
of worldly qualifications.
When we say yes in faith,
God can multiply our efforts
and place us at the center of his divine plan.
Our next takeaway is that courage requires action
in the face of risk.

(05:43):
Miriam's courage was not passive.
It required her to approach Pharaoh's daughter, a member of the ruling class,
with a bold proposal.
Speaking up could have put her in danger or brought harsh consequences,
yet she acted decisively for the sake of her brother's life.

(06:03):
Similarly,
Christian courage often
calls us to take risks, whether it be standing up for truth,
offering help to those in need, or
speaking out against injustice.
True courage
is rooted in the faith and the belief that God is with us even when the path is uncertain

(06:24):
or threatening.
Our next takeaway is that God's providence works through human obedience.
While God is sovereign overall,
he often chooses to accomplish his purposes
through the faithful actions of people.
Miriam's obedience and watching over Moses and suggesting his mother as a nurse was a key part of God's provincial plan.

(06:50):
This reminds us that our faithfulness matters.
Even the seemingly small acts of obedience
are are able to be a part of God's greater work.
We are invited to partner with God by responding to the needs around us and trusting that he will bring about his purposes
through our obedience.

(07:12):
Our next takeaway is that family and community support
are vital.
Miriam's role illustrates the importance of family and community in God's plan.
Her willingness to protect and advocate
for her brother
demonstrates
how we are called to care for one another,
especially the vulnerable.

(07:32):
The Christian life is not meant to be walked alone.
Scripture calls us to bear one another's burdens and support each other in love.
When we watch over and care for one another,
we participate in God's redemptive work in practical
and meaningful ways.
And our last takeaway this week is that God can turn threatening situations

(07:55):
into opportunities
for his glory.
The situation that seemed so dangerous,
Pharaoh's decree to kill the Hebrew boys
became the very circumstance
through which God positioned Moses to lead Israel's deliverance.
What the enemy intended for harm,
God turned for good.

(08:17):
This is a powerful reminder that no matter how dire our circumstances appear, God is able to redeem and transform them for his specific
purposes.
As believers,
we can trust in God's ability to bring beauty
out of brokenness
and victory
out of our adversity

(08:38):
when we walk with him in faith.
Miriam's courage reminds us that God is not looking for perfect people.
He's looking for people who are simply willing.
Too often,
we hesitate to act because we feel unqualified or fear the potential consequences,

(09:00):
Yet, Miriam's example shows that when our hearts are aligned with God's purposes,
he can multiply our small acts of obedience into lasting impact.
Her story also challenges us to be watchful.
Miriam didn't wander away after placing Moses in the basket.
She stayed nearby,
alert to what was happening.

(09:21):
This kind of spiritual watchfulness is essential for believers today.
It means staying engaged in prayer, seeking God's direction,
and being ready to respond when he opens a door for action.
We also see in this account a beautiful picture of God's providence,
The sequence of events, Pharaoh's daughter finding the basket, Miriam's timely suggestion,

(09:44):
and Moses's own mother being paid to nurse him was no coincidence.
It's it was a reminder that God's plans are never hindered by human opposition.
Finally,
Miriam's story urges us to recognize the value of courage that serves others.
Courage in the Christian life is is not about self promotion or reckless boldness,

(10:08):
but about stepping forward to protect,
to serve, and to uplift others
in obedience to God.
Before we preview next week's episode, let's close out our study with a word of prayer.
Lord God, we thank you for the example of Miriam whose courage and wisdom played a key role in your plan for Moses and Israel's deliverance.

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Help us to remember that
you can use anyone no matter our age, our status, or abilities
when we are willing to obey.
Give us the courage to speak up for truth,
the faith to trust in your providence,
and the love to serve others selflessly.
May we be watchful and ready to act when you call us, knowing that even the smallest steps of obedience

(10:59):
can have eternal significance.
In the name of your son, Jesus, we pray.
Amen.
On our next episode of Bible Bites, we're gonna look at numbers
chapter 12
verses one through 15.
And this is the point when Miriam's pride led her to challenge Moses,

(11:21):
and God punished her with leprosy to demonstrate the seriousness
of opposing
his chosen leader. And we'll examine what that means today for Christians.
So join us on the next episode of Bible Bites, the podcast where we work to inspire faith
one bite at a time.
Bible
Bites.

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Bible Bites.

Unknown (11:46):
Inspiring faith