By Kelley Darnell

“The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram, Aaron, Moses and Miriam their sister.” Numbers 26:59

“Then Pharaoh commended all his people, ‘Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.’ Now a man from house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that the child was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of  bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’ Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her ‘Go.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed him. When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, ‘Because,’ she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’ ” Exodus 1:22-2:10

Can you imagine Jochebed’s journey over the next several years of her life?! The Excitement. Anticipation. Joy. Laughter. Blessing. Love of another child!! Only to find out on the day it is born, it is a BOY! Devastation. Fear. Sadness. Despair.  Hopelessness. She knew she would have to let her baby go, to die. After 3 months of living in fear, hiding, it was time. Oh how she must have felt that day. She said good bye and knew she would never see him again!

Have you ever been there, sister? Are you there now? Where life is so overwhelming and you are asking yourself, “Where is God?” What is happening and what is going to happen? Questions of doubt, fear, despair, hopelessness, confusion?

Myself and my family can relate. We are there in a way. You see, dear friends, my mother in law is a beautiful, kind, sophisticated, hardworking, gentle, and Godly woman. However over the past 8 eight years we have come to find out that her life is fleeting before our eyes. She was diagnosed with the horrible disease of Alzheimer’s. She is 57 years old and the doctors give her 5-10 years to live, max. Devastating. Sad. Hard. Hopeless.

She loves her family and Jesus more than anything, but now she struggles everyday to remember how to take care of herself. How to write or take notes in church. Forgetting her loved one’s names. Forgetting her home. Forgetting her husband at night.

We ask why, we don’t understand, we cry, we pray, and somedays it is so real and painful.

BUT – OH yes, there is a but!!!!

As I read about Jochebed, there is a BUT in her story too. She is at her lowest point, just said goodbye to her baby boy, and in runs her daughter. Bright eyed, full of hope and joy, saying something like “Mommma, you can keep Moses and nurse him. You can love him and care for him. He’s ok! He’s ok!”

And we later find out the rest of the story and who Moses became.

Something I saw over and over and the Lord kept whispering to me through this story of Jochebed…..

GOD was at work.

GOD was at work.

GOD had indeed been at work.

GOD was on HIS throne, where He remains today – sovereign and good and evermore at work.

GOD was at work

GOD IS STILL AT WORK.

Through all of this, GOD is at work. The Lord is working through every heartache, every disease, every devastation, and every sadness.

No, we don’t have the answers and no we don’t understand, but we have a Savior who does.

And so we cling to His word and His promises.

We praise for the time we have with her. We praise Him for His mercies. We praise Him even when we don’t want to praise Him, because we know is at work and on His throne!!  We praise Him for the hope we have in Christ. At the end of our story and my mother-in-law’s story,  is HOPE and REDEPEMPTION!

Let me encourage you friend, if you’re in a dark place and you feel like Jochebed. Remember her story and GOD is at work and OH HOW HE LOVES YOU!!

I have a journal of my husband’s grandmother. She has written all kinds of biblical truths, quotes and her own writings…. there on the last page was something her husband had written and I thought I would share.

“And the angel of the LORD, went further, and stood in a Narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to left.” Numbers 22:26

A NARROW PLACE —- You know that place! You have been there. It is a life experience that brings a big question. Shall I yield and dishonor God or triumph in His might?

 No man can go through a crisis and come out the same as before.

 The harder the place the more He loves to show HIs power. If you wish to find Him real, come to Him in some great trouble. He has no chance to work until you get in a hard place. He led the Israelites out of the usual way until HE got them to the Red Sea. Then he parted the waters and manifested His power. God loves the hard and narrow place. Let NOT your faith in Him wavier for a moment. 

 When you get into a tight place, never give up, never give up, never give up. 

 Remember in dark what you learned in the light!! 

 ~ Bud Darnell