God's Presence and 3 Ps

Exodus chapters 2-3 illustrate a beautiful story of God's supernatural intervention for Moses, reminding me of God's supernatural favor upon my life throughout my life. Pharaoh declared death upon all the Israelite boys, but Moses' mother saw something special about Moses and took her chances and saved him. She put him in a basket and placed it among the reeds by the riverbank after three months when she no longer could hide him. Pharaoh's daughter fell for the baby and adopted him. Still, his biological mother ended up raising him for several years, and his mother even got paid by the Pharaoh's daughter for raising him. That is quite a supernatural story of God's protection and provision. Instead of being killed like other boys, Moses grew up in a palace fully protected and abundantly provided by the king's daughter. God used him powerfully to deliver His people from slavery later on.

My family faced a similar ordeal: during my mother's pregnancy with my youngest brother, my father strongly opposed having a third child. He pushed for my mother to undergo an abortion despite her objections. She was pressured into going to the hospital for the procedure, but she bravely chose to protect the baby. Despite the intense pressure, she escaped the night before the scheduled abortion and returned home. It's puzzling for me to reconcile this with my father's character, as he was never violent and was loving toward me in my childhood. Yet, I'm immensely thankful that his wishes didn't prevail due to my mother's determination. Consequently, my brother, whose life was saved by her courage, went on to serve as a missionary for eight years. He continues to impact lives through Bible studies while also working as an engineer at NASA.

I have learned about three major things that accompany God's presence through my experiences over the years. First, God's presence brings us Peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Peace imparts to people the confidence to do the unthinkable (Isaiah 32:17). Just like Moses' mother, my mother was determined to save her baby. She knew that she would face unfavorable relationships as a result but took the courage to take action. God's presence also protects us, as described in Isaiah 31:5; like birds hovering over us, the Lord of hosts will protect us. God moved the Pharoah's daughter's heart to adopt Moses so that he could be fully protected. God protected the Israelites with pillars of cloud and fire when they exited Egypt. I can think of many incidences of supernatural protection from God during numerous scary incidents resulting from my reckless driving in my younger days. Finally, His presence provides provision as described in Psalm 23:1; The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Israelites left Egypt with abundance: silver, gold, and all kinds of treasures. God also gave them manna for food; their sandals and clothes did not wear out for forty years (Deuteronomy 29:5). Some of us see the glass as half empty and focus on that, but the half-full part may overwhelm us as we reflect on His provision and protection. The more grateful we are to God for His goodness, the closer His presence will be.