Monday
Read: Exodus 1:1–21
SOAP: Exodus 1:17, 21
But the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.
And because the midwives feared God, he made households for them.
Devotion:
Shiphrah and Puah were Hebrew midwives during the captivity of Israel in Egypt. The Pharaoh was threatened by the growing Hebrew population, and when harder working conditions and increased demands only strengthened the people, he took a much more severe approach. He instructed Shiphrah and Puah to kill all the baby boys right after the Hebrew women gave birth to them.
These remarkable midwives feared the Lord more than they feared the Pharaoh. They let the boys live, explaining to Pharaoh that the Hebrew women were stronger than Egyptian women and had their babies before the midwives arrived.
Shiphrah and Puah did not know that one of the boys born at that time would be the very man God would use to set His people free. They did not know the rescue of their people would come through one of the boys they saved. In fact, going against the Pharaoh could have led to severe consequences. But these women acted with integrity, loyalty, and love for the Lord. They did what was right because it was the right thing to do.
Because Shiphrah and Puah made the decision to let the Hebrew boys live, Moses was born. Moses was hidden by his mother, found by the princess, raised in the palace, made a fugitive, and then called by God to free His people. Through this man, God led the Israelites out of captivity and into the land God promised to give them.
God blessed Shiphrah and Puah, favoring them and giving them each a household of their own because they feared and obeyed Him. They had no idea their acts of obedience would play a significant role in God’s plan to save, set free, and redeem His people.
When we live beautifully surrendered to the Lord, we leave a legacy of faith that impacts generations. The decisions we make each day, the small acts of obedience, the big leaps of faith, and everything in between, when done for the glory of God, will impact His Kingdom in ways we can never expect or imagine. May we be women who are faithful in our everyday decisions, trusting God with whatever outcome He has planned.