Cherish

The days are long but the years are short.

It was with that quote in mind that I asked a good friend to share at my small group meeting this past week. She is the mother of seven boys and an amazing example of a Godly mother. All those in attendance were blessed by her wisdom and honesty. She shared with us about cherishing days. Every day. Even those long, rainy, muggy, the-kids-are-climbing-the-walls days. It was fantastic.

One thing that really stuck out to me was her reference to Jochebed. I'm not a Bible scholar by any means so this fresh perspective was lovely to hear. Jochebed was the mother of Moses. Here is part of her story in Exodus 2:1-10.

And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. Then 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. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”


Jochebed hid Moses because all Hebrew boys were being killed at birth. Jochebed knew her son was special and managed to hide him for three months before sending him down the river. Can you imagine her emotion during those three months?! Knowing that the time would come when she would have to send him on to whatever the Lord had for him. Every mother comes to that point but she had to do that with her infant! Then by a miracle of the Lord, Jochebed was chosen to be the nursemaid for her own baby. She once again knew that the time would come when she would have to walk away from her son. Think of how much she must have cherished and adored every moment with him. Every second. For a few short years. Then off he was again.

That's how brief our time with our children really is. In the blink of an eye, they will be grown and moving on. It's hard for me to believe I have an 8 year old. It seems like just yesterday we brought her home during the hottest June in recent history. And I know that it will feel like tomorrow but in reality 8 more years will pass and she'll be starting to drive.

Cherish your days. It's hard, stressful, exhausting and at times frustrating. But they are worth it. Swallow the frustration. Put aside the dirty dishes. Cherish your days. Make a memory. We never know what tomorrow will bring.

Comments

  1. Wow, Jackie, what a great reminder of how truly important it is to cherish our children and the time we have with them. I think that especially in today's busy worl we too often forget what is really important.
    Thanks for the blessing of the message. :)

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