Cast Your Bread on the Water

When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank.  Exodus 2:3-6

When we read the story of Jochebed, Moses’ mother we see a woman trapped between two agonizing decisions. If she kept Moses for herself any longer he would be discovered and killed. If she threw him into the Nile River according to the king’s command he would drown. Lovingly in faith she chose to do all she could as she worked into the night forming a basket for her child. She wove together the bulrushes and covered them with tar, then fearfully placed the basket into the river and prayed. If ever anyone cast their bread upon the waters it was she. Her heart floated down the river in the basket with little Moses inside. She trusted God with what was beyond her control. Then as Moses cried, Pharaoh’s daughter heard him and chose to save his life.  You and I may not be forced to put our child in a basket and send it down a river but we each face choices that seem like the end of own hopes and longings. There are times when it feels like everything good and beautiful in our lives is being torn away. We hold on to them as long as we can but the time comes when we have to release them to God’s grace. We must trust our loving God. He sees beyond the bend in the river to a plan that is greater than anything we can imagine. God will never abandon us. God will always watch over our fragile dreams. One day He will put back into our arms what we have let go of and trusted into His mighty hands.

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Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Ecclesiastes 11:1

 

Our True Hope

 

As a man was wading in the waves close to the beach he was suddenly caught by an undertow and dragged 100 yards out. As he came to the surface sputtering he shouted, “Help! I can’t swim! Somebody help!”  A local business man walking by heard his cries and immediately threw 50 yards of rope out towards the drowning man and shouted, “That’s all I can afford….you better swim for it!”  Going down for the second time the man yelled louder, “I can’t swim! Please help!”

A politician who happened to be at the beach that day angrily pushed the businessman aside. “That’s the problem today! Nobody cares about folks like him!” he growled. With a mighty heave the politician then threw out 200 yards of line to the man. “There now grab hold of that.” he shouted proudly. The man grabbed for the line but in dismay saw the politician drop the rope and begin walking away muttering, “Someone really needs to help that guy!” Now totally exhausted and in despair the drowning man began to sink for the third time. Just before the waves covered his head he looked up and saw Jesus walking to him on the waves. The Lord took him by the hand and with a smile whispered, “It is I, don’t be afraid!”

Where is your hope today? Is it in your past success? Is your hope in what others think about you or what money you have in the bank? The Bible tells us that our only true hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ. He hears our cries. He has paid the price to save us. He is coming out on the waves for you today!

But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31

Never Lose Hope

As caregivers we struggle daily to serve and honor the lives of the most fragile members of our society. The violence suffered tonight at the veterans home in California leaves me unspeakably sad. God have mercy is our prayer. Who will join with me in trusting Him to plant a seed of hope today?

pastorpete51's avatarWalking With Lambs

The still unfolding story of yet another deranged man with a gun – this time at a nursing home touched a nerve with me tonight. Whatever the motivation for the violence will soon be lost in another shouting match over 2nd amendment rights and gun control. The three dead employees will soon be forgotten by everyone but God. But in spite of the night of hatred, division and fear that seems to get darker by the hour there is still hope. God has not nor will He ever abandon us. If we cry He is listening. When we lie awake sleepless with anxiety, He stands watch. In the deepest despair He plants a seed of hope. God’s kingdom whether in the life of an individual or a community always starts with the tiniest of seeds. Will you plant your seed of hope with me tonight in prayer that together we…

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