Sacrifice

Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother.

—Exodus 2:7-8

Sometimes, God will ask us to sacrifice someone or something that is dear to us in order to grow our faith. This doesn’t always mean the person dies or that we never see the person or thing again. However, it often signals a painful separation. This was certainly the case for Jocheved. This young Hebrew mother knew she had to save her baby, Moses, from being killed because of Pharaoh’s edict against Hebrew baby boys. She knew saving her baby would mean giving him up.

Almost as if adding insult to injury, God ordained that Pharaoh’s daughter would find Moses and he would be raised as an Egyptian prince. Remember though, that God is not cruel or selfish. He understands exactly what He’s doing when He asks his children for sacrifices. He knows what it costs them and shares in their pain. Because of this, He sometimes allows a gift along with the sacrifice.

For Jocheved, that gift was becoming Moses’ wet nurse. It wasn’t the same as raising the baby herself, but she would be an integral part of his life. She would be present to watch him grow up and to tell him of the wondrous works of the Israelites’ God.

If you have been asked to sacrifice a beloved person, pet or other part of your life, let Jocheved’s story give you hope. God will not always give back or wholly replace what you have lost. Whether He does depends on what is best for you in the long run. However, He always rewards sacrifice in some way. He may send you a gift related to your sacrifice, or He may point you toward something better that you never imagined. Express your emotions and pain, but then praise Him for the opportunity to grow, and look for the gift.