March 21 - Midwives

Exodus 1: 8-22 – The Hebrew Midwives

In these verses, the Pharoh of Egypt feared the power of the Israelites. His response to this fear was to oppress them with hard labor and physical abuse. He ordered the leaders of the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill all Hebrew newborn male babies, but allow the female newborns to live.

Shiphrah and Puah, however, feared the power of the Lord more than they feared the power of the Pharoh. They did not do what the king of Egypt told them to do, and instead let the boys live.

The king summoned Shiphrah and Puah and asked them why they disregarded his orders. The midwives knew the king thought Egyptian women were superior to Hebrew women, and used his bias to weave their excuse. They told the king the Hebrew women were very strong and more like animals than the Egyptian women, and gave birth very quickly before the midwives could arrive to help them. So, the midwives were not there to kill the male newborns.

The king believed Shiphrah and Puah as that aligned with his beliefs, and the Israelites increased and became even more numerous. Now, back then, midwives were generally women who were unable to have children of their own. But, because Shiphrah and Puah feared God, he blessed the two midwives with families of their own.

As I read this story in Exodus, I was struck by the differences between the fear of man, and the fear of God. When I looked inside myself, I realized that I have been teetering on panic as events unfold daily in our country that are out of my control. So much hate, fear, and deceit. The fear of man has taken root in my heart of late. So much so, that I find myself shutting down, and trying to hide. It can be so overwhelming.

But, then I read about Shiphrah and Puah. They were ordered by their king to kill all the male newborn babies of their people. Talk about hatred and deceit, wow! The fear must have been thick. And yet, they found the courage to go against the king and do what they knew was right in the sight of the Lord, because they had the fear of God in their hearts. The fear of God brought strength and blessing to both them and their people.

When I’m feeling so overwhelmed I need to look inside myself, and redirect my focus from what man is doing, to what God can do. I need to replace that fear of man that steals my focus, and instead set my heart and thoughts on those things I know to be right and true.

Lord, when the stresses of this world become overwhelming to me, please help me to remember the strength and blessing that comes from loving you. Help me to refocus my attention on your love and acceptance, so I can shine the light of your strength and blessing into this world of fear and hurt. Amen.

Link to Bible verses: Exodus 1