09/02/2026
Devotion September 2 2026
Taking Sunday into Your Week
Scripture Exodus 2: 1-10
Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 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. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
Placing in the Ark of Prayer
Our scripture lesson for this morning takes place in early Old Testament times. The story begins during a time when the Israelites were living in Egypt under very harsh oppressive circumstances under the rule of the Pharaoh. The pharaoh was afraid of the increasing number of Israelites and the potential of rebellion, so, in an attempt to control the growing Hebrew population, he issued a decree in which he ordered all male infants be killed at birth. This created an atmosphere of danger and desperation for Hebrew families, including the family in our scripture today. Today, I want to focus on a person in this story who normally doesn’t get much attention, because I believe her actions spell out some great symbolism.
That person is Miriam, Moses’ sister. This is a story full of symbolism, courage, and the surprising provision of God.
In the scripture that we listened to this morning, we heard, “His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.” This verse, even though it is very short not only captures a profound moment in the unfolding story of the deliverance of the people of Israel, but it is also a deep theological truth about the role and value of alertness and faith in God's Providence.
Miriam's position of standing off at a distance resonates with us as believers who often find ourselves in situations where we cannot immediately intervene in something that is happening, nor can we change the circumstances that are taking place. Miriam is a young girl—maybe ten, maybe twelve, yet she stands with a maturity that many adults struggle to find. Her mother has done all she can: she has hidden Moses for three months, crafted a basket, sealed it with pitch, and placed him in the river. Now Miriam stands watch over this ark. She cannot control the current. She cannot stop the danger. She cannot guarantee the outcome. But she can stay. Her watching is not passive—it is faith in motion.
Consider a parent or a loved one who sits in a hospital waiting room while their child undergoes surgery. They cannot perform the operation. They cannot control the outcome. But they stay—praying, watching, ready to respond. Their presence is an act of love and trust.
Miriam stands in that same posture. “I cannot fix this, but I will not leave. I will watch for what God will do.”
Sometimes faith is not running ahead—it is staying put.
Part of the symbolism of this story is staying put.
The River brings us something else. The Nile is both a threat and a possibility. It represents everything outside human control. Moses is placed into the water not because it is safe, but because it is the only place left where God can work beyond human limits. The river becomes a symbol of surrender. It is the place where we release what we cannot carry, cannot fix, cannot protect on our own. And yet—this is the mystery—the river is also the place where God’s provision flows. The very waters that could have swallowed Moses become the path that delivers him into Pharaoh’s household, into safety, and ultimately into his calling.
Imagine writing a letter to someone you love—full of hope, apology, longing—but knowing you cannot deliver it yourself. You place it in the mailbox, trusting the system to carry it where you cannot go.
Moses is placed into the river, like a letter placed into God’s hands.
What is released is not abandoned—it is carried.
Sometimes we may feel that we are removed from the situation and it may be uncomfortable for us. It might be watching the trials of a loved one or facing our own adversities. In those moments, we might feel like passive observers. But Miriam's actions demonstrate a different kind of faith. One that is active even in its distance.
Take a moment and try to put yourselves in her shoes. She has a baby brother. She knows that the Pharaoh has demanded that all male babies be killed. She knows that her mother does not want her baby brother to die. She sees her mother's efforts at protecting the baby. So, when her mother tells her to go and watch the ark that has been put into the water to see what happens to it, she goes. But she doesn't simply stand there, blindly. She's intentional about her observing. These Israelites in Egypt are religious people, so it is not unfathomable for us to believe that Miriam was eager to see if God would work a miracle in this situation.
As the story unfolds, we see that Miriam is not alone in what is happening. She does end up by playing a vital role in God's plan. Her watchfulness allowed her to intervene at the perfect moment. When Pharaoh's daughter discovers the basket, the timing of her approach to offer to find a nurse for the baby was an act of God's Providence --- God's caring. By waiting and watching, Miriam becomes part of the miracle. Sometimes God’s provision comes from places totally unexpected and unforeseen.
How many of you have been Miriam's at some time in your life? I can tell you, for a fact, that there have been a couple times where I have been in that situation. Where I have someone for whom I care deeply, who needs help. I find myself wanting to help but not knowing what to do or even if I should do anything. It is in times like these that we need to consider how often we adopt a similar position of faith that Miriam had. We must ask ourselves whether we trust that God is maneuvering His divine will even when we feel powerless. Like Miriam, we too have the opportunity to stand at a distance and observe with what we hope is expectant faith. As one of my devotions put it, “Watchfulness then becomes an act of faith in itself. A willingness to trust that God is at work behind the scenes.”
In life there are moments when we stand on riverbanks in our lives --- when we must place something --- or someone --- into the river. In those times we may only be able to watch, pray and stay attentive to grace. The river is symbolic of God’s provision, peace and presence. God’s provision may come quietly. It may come from unexpected people. It may come in timing that feels slow. But it will come. Because the God who carried Moses through the waters is the same God who carries what we entrust to Him.
It can at times be hard to do, but we must trust in the God who watches over what we release into the river. Some of you here today know exactly what it feels like to carry the weight of worry for a child or grandchild or a situation or a set of circumstances. You've prayed, you've cried, you've tried to fix things, but the burden still sits heavy on your heart. It is important to remember that every one of those will be all right if you just give them to God. Put him or her or it into the ark of prayer and place it in the river. Jochebed didn’t just toss Moses into the river without preparation. She built an ark --- a small, waterproof basket --- and entrusted him to God’s care. Your “ark” is prayer. It is consistent, not occasional. It is specific, not vague. It is trusting, not doubting. When you pray for whatever is weighing heavy on you, you are building a spiritual covering around it --- a place where God’s hand can guide, protect, and shape whatever or whomever it is.
Miriam watched over Moses. But even more --- God watched over Moses. And God watches over what you place in His hands. Your river is not the end. Your surrender is not abandonment. Your watching is not wasted. God is already moving. Already providing. Already working in places you cannot see. Stand at the riverbank with Miriam. Watch with hope. Trust with courage. Stay attentive to the God who brings provision from unexpected places. Let your watching be active faith in motion.
In conclusion, as my devotion says, “recognizing our roles as watchers can transform our perspective on life’s unfolding events. Just as Miriam witnessed the miraculous protection of her brother and ultimately the deliverance of an entire nation, we too can trust that as we observe, God is aligning events for His glorious purpose.”
Please pray with me: Lord, give us Miriam’s courage --- to watch without fear, to trust without grasping, to stand where Your provision might appear. Teach us to release what we cannot control and to stay attentive to Your quiet, surprising grace. Carry what we place in Your hands, and let us be ready to step forward when You invite us into the miracle. Amen
In Exodus 2:4, we read, "And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him." This verse, though short, encapsulates a profound moment in the unfolding narrative of deliverance for the people of Israel, as well as a deep theological truth about the role of watchfulness and faith in God'...
