Have Faith, 1:21-2:2. Consider the place we find this mother in:She is a Hebrew slave, captive in Egypt. She would be expected to work long and hard. She did not have freedom. She lived under the constant fear of being beaten or killed for opposing or angering the Egyptian rulers. The conclusion of chapter 1 teaches us that for fear of being overcome by the Hebrews through population...The Pharaoh instituted abortion. Every male child born was to be cast into the river. How sad. This woman (unnamed here) finds herself not only in these circumstances...But she is due to deliver a child. Once the child is born a new issue arises…it is a boy! What is Jochebed to do in such a situation? Have faith. This doesn’t always seem like the best advice. When life is hard, when faced with crisis, and someone advises, “Just have faith…” But, truly, it is the best advice. By faith, she hid the child 3 months. Vernon McGee writes, “Faith is not a leap in the dark…God asks us to believe that which is good and solid. God never asks us to do foolish things. Jochebed did a sensible thing. She made a little ark and put Moses in it.” Next we learn to Be Patient… Be Patient, v.3-4. Hiding a baby 3 months can try your patience! But then we have the next part of the story. She can no longer hide him, and has to let him go. It is hardest to have faith and be patient when we have to let go. Can you imagine the anxiety? So many times the situations of life cause us to exercise our patience. James wrote to believers living according to God’s will, “…count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2b-4) Times will come in life where we must have faith and be patient — Through such times we learn to Trust God. Trust God, v.5-10. When he could be hid no longer, “by faith”, the faith had to be lived out. In the ultimate showing of faith, Jochebed made the baby a boat and trusted him fully to God. All she could do at this point was wait. It is tough and painful to live out the confidence that He “who is for us is greater than all that is against us.” Pharaoh's daughter comes to wash herself and sees the boat. Her servants grab it and the baby cries. This causes her to have compassion on him, though she knows he is Hebrew with a death sentence. Miriam steps in just at that moment and says, “I just happen to know a hebrew lady who could nurse this child for you!” Jochebed’s life is completely changed in that moment! She goes from being a slave laborer to being hired into Pharaoh’s house! Better still, she will be paid to take care of her very own child! (8-9) Jochebed realized she could trust God. And can you see how God rewarded her faith and patience? “The devil was foiled by his own weapon, inasmuch as Pharaoh, whom he was using to frustrate the purpose of God, is used of God to nourish and bring up Moses, who was to be His instrument in confounding the power of Satan.” (Mackintosh) He is a God who honors faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him:” Hebrews 11:23 says, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.” Moses’ parents hid him by faith and God honored it. He gave protection to the baby. He gave a better situation to the family. He used Moses’ life extraordinarily. He is a God who’s timing is perfect. Through Jochebed’s patience we learn that God’s providence is greater than our planning. Have Faith and Be Patient for God’s plan in your life as well. He is a God who can be Trusted. If this story cannot prove this to you than nothing will! The child should’ve been found and killed, yet she hides him 3 months. No child should live in a makeshift boat in a river, but he didn’t drown! Why didn’t Pharoah’s daughter act differently toward this child of a slave? So many variables. This story could’ve gone horribly wrong. Yet it went just as God would have it! We serve a God who can be trusted!!! So: Have Faith, Be Patient, & Trust God.