So;
The great Moses stood
towering in stature, powerful in might
casting rods, turning snakes; calling forth clouds
and hail; reddening the deep river to blood
And freeing the Israelites.
Freed from bondage;
freed from slavery.
Bonded into relationship, and love with,
YHWH.
And changed our world.
And yet . . .
without women, this great leader
would not have called; and cast; and reddened.
He would never have been.
He would have died with the others.
As he floated in woven reed basket
Alone and scared and longing for his mother
His infant wails above the rustling of the water over the
pebbles and past rushes and stalking ibis
His mother watched, the sacrifice made. His life over her love.
Not alone; no, not uncared for.
Twice his little craft had almost turned over
His sister Miriam had rushed out and righted it
Heart hammering; it was a death sentence
To care for such a babe. Yet she dared. A sister's love.
Two women, twice over.
A mother, a sister. Saving the babe
And yet a third had hovered in the background;
The midwife who had not reported the birth.
Despite the sentence of death for such a thing. A midwife's care.
Three women, thrice over.
A mother, sister and midwife. Saving the babe.
And yet, what future for this little infant?
A gracious princess, daughter of great Ruler, heard the cries.
Basket brought over; baby seen; realisation Hebrew child.
Her duty? To make it known.
Allow the killing. She did no such thing.
Loving the infant Moses, she took him to her heart.
Passed him off as her own. [Took time off court?
Wore larger clothes? Her attendants sworn to secrecy.]
Four women, four times over. And more.
A mother, sister, midwife and princess.
And attendants? How many
Girls and women were in this conspiracy
At the threat to their own lives? Many, it seems.
Secret kept; babe saved. until the child was full grown.
Strong prince; dual citizened; finding the truth
Making the choices; fighting for the right
And blood on his hands. Flight from wealth. In fear for his life.
The babe grown prince turned fugitive.
Fugitive was given sanctuary in her father's home by Zipporah.
She loved him, and became wife.
Kept him safe; cared for him.
Let him go to his destiny, back to Egypt.
The fugitive turned prophet.
Loving wife added to list of many women.
So; mother, midwife, sister, princess, attendant, wife.
Without the daughter of the Egyptian ruler, the history of our world
Would have been entirely changed.
Without womens' intercession, the Ten Commandments
Would not have been given to our world.
For without the man, no Law would have been received.
As women, it is never known
When an action God expects of the second created
May one day change the destiny of the entire world.
Catherine Nicolette Whittle
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