A Child in a Papyrus Basket
“1 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 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. 3 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. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 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. 6 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.
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”
8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 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. 10 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.””
In today’s passage, we see the infant Moses placed into a papyrus(reed) basket and set afloat on the Nile. Through this scene, we witness how God’s providence can be at work in seemingly small, fragile acts within everyday life. Even without a dramatic miracle or a clear sign, the mother’s “small act”—hiding her child for three months and preparing the basket—becomes part of God’s greater work of salvation.
The reed basket, so easily broken or carried away by the current, symbolizes our vulnerability. Yet within this fragile vessel, God’s protection and guidance are revealed. Pharaoh’s daughter stumbles upon the baby, takes pity on him, and through the involvement of Moses’ sister and mother, we glimpse the invisible hand of God orchestrating each detail.
These modest demonstrations of faith might not produce visible, sweeping changes immediately, but God ultimately uses them for good. When Jesus was born, King Herod posed a threat, and Jesus arrived in a humble, vulnerable state—a baby. Likewise, God’s grand plan of salvation frequently unfolds through small, everyday decisions of trust and obedience.
In our own lives, activities like dawn prayers, small but consistent acts of love and faith, or trusting God in hidden ways may resemble preparing a reed basket. We may not see the full picture now, yet each day’s obedience is woven into the larger story God is writing. We walk forward believing our small steps of faith will one day be part of His wondrous plan.
Prayer:
Lord, we believe that even our seemingly small acts of faith can be instruments of Your remarkable saving work. As we practice modest obedience and love today, awaken and guide us through Your Spirit. Let our small steps become a cherished part of Your grand design, allowing us to experience glimpses of miracles and the coming of Your kingdom. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)
Devotional content is available on the Our Daily Bread website.