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“15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 ‘When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.’ 17 But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, ‘Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?’ 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.’ 20 So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, ‘Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live’” Exodus 1:15-22.

This story of the midwives is a story of heroic resistance. So noteworthy was their courage that their personal names are recorded, “named Shiphrah and the other Puah”, in contrast to any of the elders of Israel (see 3:16,18; 4:29) and even pharaoh. So, these two midwives' names, along with the names of Jacob's children and Moses' family, are the only names actually mentioned in the early chapters of Exodus. But what we need to see, more than anything else, is that the Egyptian plan backfires. For this strategy also yielded nothing but more Israelite population growth — even within the families of the midwives, where it would not have been expected.

I cannot speak for you, but I have always loved the closing to chapter 1 in Exodus, because it reminds me of one of the most important words of God prophesied by Isaiah:  

‘8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

     nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 

 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

     so are my ways higher than your ways

     and my thoughts than your thoughts’ Isaiah 55:8-9.

It is so important for us to understand that these words from Isaiah reflect some of the most important and revealing words of God ever uttered. 

I have faced these words of God personally in recent days in ways I never imagined I would have to face them, in the tragic and violent death of my 33-year old son, Andrew. He died when he fell from a rock climbing accident in California. Now, I could blame God for being so unloving and uncaring, but I would be so wrong. I could tell others that no such God could be a loving God if He permits such an untimely and youthful death, but I would be so wrong.

In recent weeks, the fact that God’s thoughts are not my thoughts, and God’s ways are not my ways, has reminded me of the fact that God doesn’t walk around with His hands on knives and guns, or other violent and senseless means of death. No, God is a God of love who created the world in such a way that He allows accidents and tragedies to occur from the natural order of the world in which we live. WHY? None of us truly knows why.

You see, it’s not just that God’s ways and God’s thoughts are not our ways and thoughts, but it’s based in the fact that God’s ways are so much higher than our ways that we cannot even fathom them or contest them. God’s thoughts are so much deeper and higher than any thoughts we have ever had, that we must step away and bow down to Almighty God — and TRUST GOD in all things.

So I can only thank God for the years He gave me my son Andrew. And that is enough. We will see in the remaining chapters of Exodus some of God’s plans unfold, plans that demonstrate why the Israelite people multiplied and became very strong, despite Pharaoh’s plans. We will see exactly why you and I must continue to follow Christ, despite our sinful thoughts and ways, and wait upon the Lord. For God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways God’s ways.

So take this day to prayer and ask for God’s mercy and grace to continue to follow Him! Follow Christ!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.