When It’s Time To Let Go
Jochebed – When You Have to Let Go Scripture Spotlight:
Exodus 2:1–10 — “But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.”
This Week’s Theme Reminder:This week, we’re shining the spotlight on some lesser-known (and feistier) women of the Bible. The ones whose names might trip us up (Shiphrah and Puah, anyone?), but whose stories teach us courage, obedience, and heart-level faith. Today’s woman is one of grit and grace. A mama who did the unthinkable to protect her child. Jochebed. Who Was Jochebed? Her name (pronounced YO-keh-bed, if you’re wondering) means “Yahweh is glory.” And glory followed her decisions — even when they broke her heart. She was a Levite woman, married to Amram, and the mother of three children: Aaron, Miriam, and a baby boy she would later name Moses. She lived during a time when Pharaoh had commanded all newborn Hebrew boys to be killed at birth. But Jochebed wasn’t having it. The Basket and the Brave Letting Go:When she could no longer hide her baby — possibly due to his crying or growing size — she crafted a basket from papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch (the same materials used to seal Noah’s ark, interestingly enough). This basket is often translated from the Hebrew word tebah — the exact same word used for “ark” in the story of Noah. Coincidence? We think not. She placed her son in the river Nile — the very river Pharaoh used for death — and God used it as the setting for deliverance. Can you imagine what it felt like to hide a newborn baby for three months? Every cry could have led to death. Every knock on the door could have been soldiers. And when hiding him became impossible, her only option was release. Let’s pause there. Because this hits close to home.
A Moment from My Heart:Someone asked me recently, “If you had one wish, what would it be?”And I knew my answer instantly: Just one day with my kids again — when they were small. One more day of sticky fingers, bedtime songs, and chubby cheeks. Just one more bedtime story, one more carpool ride, one more middle-of-the-night rocking chair moment. If I had it, I know I could do it better now, with all I’ve learned. Even thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. But next week is my birthday, and by some miracle, I’ll have all my grown kids in one room. One is a physician living across the country. One just graduated college with dreams of NYC. Staying close to them emotionally now takes effort, and I don’t always know how — but I try. Because I love the adults they’ve become, even as I sometimes ache for the babies they once were. Letting go? It’s not a one-time event. It’s a continual surrender. It’s daily trusting God with what — and who — we love most.
The Irony of the Nile: Jochebed placed her son in the river of death — and God used that river to deliver Moses into Pharaoh’s own household. The princess of Egypt would draw him from the water and raise him as her own. In fact, the name Moses (Moshe in Hebrew) means “drawn out.” She couldn’t have known that the very system set up to destroy her son would be the system that saved him and raised him. Sometimes, God hides redemption in the places that seem most dangerous. Sometimes, letting go is what saves our children — not what harms them. A Little Humor:Let’s be honest… “Jochebed” is not a name that rolls off the tongue. Sounds a bit like someone sneezed mid-sentence. But while we may stumble over her name, we should stand in awe of her courage. She literally risked everything to give her son a chance at life.
Challenge of the Day:Letting go doesn’t mean walking away. It means trusting God more than our own grip. Whether you’re sending your child off to kindergarten, college, or chasing a dream across the country — God is in the river. Take some time to write a prayer of release today. Name the person or situation you’re clinging tightly to. Ask God to help you open your hands and trust Him.
Reflection Questions: What’s something or someone you’ve had to let go of recently? Have you ever seen God protect someone you’ve surrendered to Him? In what ways are you still trying to control outcomes that only God can direct? Closing Thought: God chose a woman with a hard-to-pronounce name to shape the future of an entire nation. She didn't know the outcome — she just knew her next step. Hide the baby. Build the basket. Trust the river. God did the rest. He still does. Letting go hurts. But on the other side of that release? Is a God who is always, always faithful.
