Hello and Welcome to Two Hearts True Healing! Grab a coffee or tea and come and sit down with me! I am so happy to share this time with you. It has been steeped in a lot of prayer and action and I hope you can glean something from what I present to you. Our story today is from Exodus. There are a few women in the beginning of this book that I want to highlight for your reflection as we continue Community; God’s plan for Humanity and a Mother’s Love. Let me lay the backdrop for you!
The Story
All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong; so that the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war befall us, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Generational bondage is passed on and this Pharaoh did not know how the story and how the whole world was saved by Joseph and these people were a gift due to God’s Loving Providence. We must pass on truth and live it or history repeats itself. And bondage will happen again and again. Baptism makes us a new creation claiming us for the Lord but after that we need the Holy Spirit in Confirmation to seal us and a stirring into flame by the prayers of others. We need to live what we have been given. What happens next? Pharaoh forgot and saw the people as a threat and not an ally.
Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens; and they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Ra-amses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the sons of Israel. So they made the sons of Israel serve with rigor, and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field; in all their work they made them serve with rigor. Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and are delivered before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God he gave them families. – Exodus 1:5-21
Obedience
Shiphrah and Puah. Two women of importance in this story. If they did obey Pharaoh instead of God, our character would not even exist for the story. Let me just point out that it takes courage to follow God and His commandments. It takes courage to live by the Supreme Authority. It involves a certain amount of self-effacement or shall we say self-sacrifice to let go of one’s vision and serve under someone else’s mission. Yet that is the calling of the woman. She must let go of her desires at times to faithfully and lovingly serve her husband (or male figures in our life). There are times for submission and times for standing up for what one believes and feels called to. This is the virtue we will highlight in today’s story. It is so hard to surrender one’s ideas and belief systems for another’s. Perhaps you might be saying, “I’m not going to be a doormat!” That is definitely not what I am insinuating. What I am proposing is a different viewpoint. Open your eyes to the needs and opinions of someone other than yourself. This is the highest calling. Love. It takes our desires and sanctifies and checks them so that we are not overly focused on ourselves. I am definitely not saying, don’t have self love, I am saying love others as much as you love yourself. JOY is loving Jesus first, Others second, Yourself third. This is a learned art and one that we blossom and grow into over time. It takes a lot of discernment to know what falls under each category and can only be done through Prayer with God. It is a matter of following God’s Plan.
We can learn and grow so much by letting go. God uses man in the order of grace to be the one to lead us women to God and follow His will. He opens up our heart by letting go of what we want for someone else’s good. Women are pretty good at doing that. Right down from serving her husband and down to her children. What is the instance for not listening? When obeying would be a sin or truly hurt someone. Shiphrah and Puah chose to obey God and fear His judgment. Sometimes it is the holy thing to raise one’s voice and point out a different viewpoint to the leader if he is straying from the path. I will point out that there are many ways to do this and still respect the authority that is over us. One can share openly how one feels about something. There comes a certain point, though, that we have to let go and let God. After we have informed what our heart is saying, we have to let the males in our life wrestle out the answer. If you feel something isn’t right you can pray to God to let His will be done and to change the course of the leader to His plans. You are then let off the hook so to speak. You then are indirectly opening a path to him without being defiant of his wishes. Correction has to be given in love. It also has to be given in respect and humility. Because sometimes the other viewpoint might lead us to a new place we haven’t thought of, perhaps that is the better course. How do we know when to speak and when to be silent? A lot of prayer. Will my being silent hurt another? When a woman has a high standard she drives the male to be a better person because he naturally wants to live up to her expectations and please her. One has to be very careful not to use this for one’s own advantage but for the true growth of both parties.
See where a wounding could occur? A woman needs to let her husband rule. She must not come off as always right but show her children how to obey and let go in humility. Because that is the attitude that is needed before God. If they don’t see us doing that, how can our children and the males in our life do that to God? If one is always right, how can we arrive at a new answer? Sometimes, we have to let the other learn from his or her own failures. You have to share out of an open conscience that respects the freedom of the other. Pushovers never help. Warning is a good thing but there is a limit. Submission is a supernatural response to God’s directive. It is a letting go so that both parties can search and find God’s plan. A holy example of obedience and simple humility is very winning and often opens the door to the spouse/leader/follower for a different viewpoint. It gives them the freedom to discern for themselves what God is saying. It opens the door of obedience so that the new path can be discovered together; hand in hand unity.
Being of one mind is a lot of work and involves both parties to let go of one’s own selfish desires for the good of the other. It means supporting the other. If one is not given the freedom to learn, it gives a very big wounding to self-esteem and confidence. One limps along when holy affirmation is not given or if one is reactive all the time. Sometimes being supportive and kind and then the next minute shouting so that the people in your life are confused and don’t know the proper response of God’s Mercy is very wrong and also causes a deep wound. Gentleness and calmness are what God asks of us to those under our care. That reflects His heart. Come to me all you who are laboring and are burdened. Take my yoke upon you and you shall find rest for your souls. Are we a place of rest? Or do we cause a lot of turmoil by not having the gentleness to be a place of rest for others? We cause a lot of emotional turmoil if we are not present in the way the other needs. Strong emotions and hard things need a gentle and calm reception.
It gives the other the freedom to feel one’s emotions without diminishing their freedom. One must speak in a way in front of their children and others that supports the other’s viewpoint. Let me give you a couple of examples. If your child has been told by the father, “One cookie, darling,” and then goes to the mother and says, “Can I have a cookie?” What would be the proper response even if you feel two cookies wouldn’t matter and you know father said one? What if you said, “Honey, please pick that up after you are done,” and then the child goes to the other and they are saying something else by their actions or words? Wouldn’t that cause a lot of confusion? Unity is work. Both parties have to let go and give themselves 100% of the time. Wouldn’t you feel better of yourself and able to give if the other receives you in kindness and love no matter how badly one messes up or doesn’t listen? Us women naturally can be more receptive, but that receptivity comes at a price. How can we be loving and yet not smother the other? Being overly protective and boisterous in one’s own opinion is damaging. To be free, one has to let the other experience and live out one’s own emotions and wishes. One has to be given the freedom to fail or they cannot learn. Being a helicopter does not respect the freedom of the other to discover life and learn its lessons by experience.
It does cost to let nature take its course and learn from natural consequence especially if we love someone and don’t want to see them get hurt. It is helpful to think of boundaries in a spectrum. When do we speak and when do we remain silent? We have to choose our battles carefully. Here is an example that is still fresh in our home. To be stewards, one has to care for one’s possessions. We can let our children learn by consequence by their books and toys being wrecked but then they would be destroying nice things till they didn’t have them anymore. That is one approach but what if they are not getting better by constant repetition? My husband and I were very hurt by the disregard of our hard earned things and property. Finally, we saw that they were not responding to the lessons we were trying to teach. They were taking for granted the gifts God has given our family. (I say that humbly as I too can do that and placing a boundary is for them as it is for me.)
We realized we had to be a bit more drastic to get their attention. After dialoguing, we arrived at a new point and decision. We both stated how it discouraged us from giving our best effort at keeping and forming a home and routine in both of our roles. We bemoaned how when we were children we didn’t destroy or lose toys at the rate that our children had. Our parents did give us boundaries and we respected them. We didn’t want our prized and beloved toys to be broken. We wanted them saved for our children. We wanted to take care of our things. I had the idea and stated, what if we pack up most of their belongings until they learn to respect and take care of the things they do have and want to do that? We dialogued a little more and soon arrived at a new approach. If you don’t take care of your things, even more will be taken away, even if you get down to nothing. Do you know what happened? Suddenly our girls were beginning to get very creative in their playing and discovered toys they hadn’t played with in years. They were trying to play in a better and more constructive way. It only took a little reminder to keep them on the right path. Yes, tears happened and some pain, but the end result is much better. I took a day and packed up mostly everything and it was put in storage. Do you see? It takes discernment and dialogue.
We respected our children’s right to choose, but in a way that was constructive with a clearer path of what would happen if they didn’t follow. This natural consequence took away some of the nagging. They had to choose to listen. Sometimes gentleness can be perceived as permissiveness or dismissiveness. That is not what we want. You can still be gentle and firm in both tone and deed and still be authoritative. Messing up isn’t the end of the world and the mercy we give can be received better and as a lesson learned. Remember the Prodigal Son? There were two sons and two methods of learning. Permissive giving and allowing consequence; what had to be formed was asking, and receiving and valuing the gift. They both had to arrive at the same lesson. Everything I have is yours, but your brother was lost so we should celebrate because now he is found. We take for granted God’s gift and have to be shaken up in both methods or it doesn’t work. Can’t we ask and be grateful?
Moses
Now a man from the house of Levi went and took to wife a daughter of Levi. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could hide him no longer she took for him a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with bitumen and pitch; and she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds at the river’s brink. And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him. – Exodus 2:1-4
Pharaoh as a result of the midwives not killing them, told the Egyptians to kill the males and a lot were thrown into the Nile. Do you see the love of Moses’ Mother and the trust she had that he would be taken care of? She was afraid for his life and hoped and prayed for a way to provide for him in a way that, she, a slave, could not give. Also he had the protection of his older sister close by. And who came down to the water? Pharaoh’s daughter. She sent her maid to gather the basket and her heart was moved with compassion, “A hebrew boy!” Miriam, Moses’ sister ran out to the princess and offered a solution, “Do you want me to fetch a hebrew woman to nurse the child and care for him for you?” “Yes.” So she ran to her mother and brought her to the princess. The princess said, “Go and do this for me,” and the woman had the joy of being able to care for her son until he was weaned without fear of danger. It took a lot of courage to put him up for adoption but she wanted the best for her son. She knew he would be provided for in a way that she could not give.
Yes, there was wounding by abandonment and Moses underwent a lot of wrestling out his identity but because of his mother’s sacrifice he was put into a position to actually help his people. How do we know this? Later in the story we see how he, the prince, is received. Prince of Egypt does a good job of portraying this artistically. Scripturally we see the following, One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together; and he said to the man that did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?” He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh, and stayed in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. – Exodus 2:11-15
Blood Delivering us to Freedom
We often don’t think of the Pharaoh as Moses’s older brother but it is possible because of succession and the time passed that there was a brotherhood. Remember he lived in the court as the Princess’ son. We do have to remember the rule of succession from father to son. Moses was not the pure blood but still a son. He runs away and tries to disappear instead of taking a stand. But it had to be in the proper time. He wasn’t ready to deliver his people. He spends years away with the Midianites and marries the leader’s (Jethro or Ruel’s) daughter Zipphora. In the course of those many days the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel groaned under their bondage, and cried out for help, and their cry under bondage came up to God. – Exodus 2:23 Moses had to spend many years reflecting as an outlaw to understand himself and his role. He is an unlikely candidate for service but the Lord chooses him as he is shepherding a flock. He had to learn to experience leadership and submission. He must have reflected often of his birth mother and father and family and his adoptive family and he was a little too permissive of his own offspring because he did not follow the customs of his people. He had to be brought from Egyptian to God’s son who has an identity. (The daughters saw him as an Egyptian when he was at the well.) He kinda acted as “no people” and God was not happy with this.
This happens with adoptive family as the child comes to himself. He has to learn his identity and origins and that he still has value. Just because he was “given up” doesn’t mean he was abandoned. He was loved. We have the wonderful story of the Burning Bush and God points to Moses’ birth family; his brother Aaron, and how he would rule still doing the work of God but allowing assistance and lordship. God calls him to be the prince that he is. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain.” – Exodus 3:11-12
Moses wrestles with his worth before God in the following verses and he points out his bumbling and slowness. We have a little clue to this by these verses through the rest of chapter three and four. It’s okay to wrestle and let God know our emotions and feelings and anger. We know further that he is coming to his own and God has to be hard on him and visibly show him many things so he can arrive at a fuller understanding of who he is as God’s child before any earthly family. We have to go back to Abraham’s promise and living out of the covenant through circumcision to know why the following story illustrates where Moses’ heart is and needs to be brought to. So Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt; and in his hand Moses took the rod of God. And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my first-born son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me”; if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your first-born son.’”
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ feet with it, and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” So he let him alone. Then it was that she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision. – Exodus 4:20-26 See? He had to know his blood! And how did he arrive here? By the love of his wife. You are somebody. Custom has meaning. You aren’t just no-one. You need to live as God’s firstborn, as His chosen! You are apart of God’s people and need to live by custom as you are. God can take your firstborn by you not following His will. See how a woman’s actions must call her husband to truth? She didn’t just sit back and let him wallow in suffering and self-pity. She took action and pulled him out of his pity party. How did she know to do this? By listening and observing. She acted out of foresight because it seems Moses was only partially following. She had to put on her big girl panties and act in victory to help her husband live in victory by his heart not just his actions. When we have had hardship we have to recognize the love of the Lord in slowly healing us layer by layer. It wasn’t that the Lord was just mad and overbearing mad, but that in His temper, he was saddened at the wrong action. He called out the right action in motives. A son of the covenant who shows his faithfulness in every manner. At times it can be hard but God keeps on working on us and we have to live as if we are listening and as if we received healing by our actions and God follows our willingness to listen and follow.
We have to renounce, reject, and refuse that which pulls us down through the precious blood of Jesus. The characteristics we exhibit often have a spiritual entity clinging to it and it is convincing us of lies and behaviors. That is when we have a choice to believe the lie and empower the Liar, or to let go and believe the truth. That is when we take a stand and say, “In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and by His most Precious Blood I take authority over and renounce, refuse, and reject the spirit of (for example) Paranoia, and all companion spirits and I bind it.” (or fatigue, self-condemnation, anxiety, depression, conflict, financial ruin, ect…) We then pray for the opposite virtue to come in. “I believe and declare that you will give me the gift of trust and confidence.” (hope, security, affirmation, joy, energy, ect.) We will make great strides when we name it and call it out. Then we have to put in the work and live it. It is not easy. Do not be ashamed if you need spiritual direction or counseling or someone to pray healing over you. This party will be objective and compassionate. Bringing you to a new place and perspective. It takes time for old habits to die and new ones to take root.
But keep calling it out. Be patient and compassionate of yourself and others. Forgive and declare it. You own your own healing and cannot control others’ reactions or deeds. Just yourself. Sometimes it is not our fault but a direct consequence of someone else dropping the ball but we do have to live with our piece of the pie and actions and try to live in freedom and let God do the directing and changing. We fail and fall but then God lovinging calls us back and receives us in Love. We let both ourselves and others off the hook when we live in this manner. We need to let God deliver us and act in freedom and not blame others for our own behavior. Exodus is full of this truth. God had to bring the Chosen People from slavery to freedom. It took Forty Years, but it still happened. God showed them he was reliable and trustworthy providing for their needs. When they fell away, He called them back and journeyed with them. Ultimately, he had to send His own Son to pay the price but people still reject His promise. God will be the one to change things but we do have to respond and cooperate. Physical, emotional, and spiritual healing are tied hand in hand and often healing one will bring out and heal another. This will keep happening as it is the human experience. Faith is a gift and an action of the heart; deed and receiving. Heaven is our true home and in this earth we are sojourners.
I want to leave you with a Psalm to use in your own walk of victory of heart. And feel free to purchase the exclusive merch to put it in view so you can grow by the visual reminder! I am sure now that the Lord will give victory to his anointed, will reply from his holy heaven, with the mighty victory of his hand. -Psalm 20 Today’s readings also tie in about how God’s anointed have power through Him..
Know I am holding you in prayer! If something touched you, share it with a friend. Bring them on board and spread the word. Be bold in calling out your healing and living it! I hold you in vulnerable faith from my heart to yours. Let go and Let God. Until next time! God heal you and Bless you!