Quip 'n quote seen on a church billboard near our home: "Never give up. Moses was a basket case once too!"
You remember well the story. Baby Moses, endangered by the king as was all little Israelite boys, was placed into a basket on the River Nile, that he might be saved from destruction....and he was! Well--his mom and sister THOUGHT he was....but the devil thought otherwise. He planned for this child to be raised in a God-less environment with more "gods" than he could count. He planned to snatch away this child, destined to be a leader for the Lord--to innoculate him with the pleasures of Egypt and of this world--to keep him from God's perfect plan for his life
But God had other plans....for that basket was arranged by the living God who had great plans for that little boy. He received the finest of a free education and training for leadership in the courts of Egypt, God's hand still on his life. Deep within his heart was a Godly heritage implanted by his family that would surface in young adulthood and bring the "basket plan" of God--not Satan--to full fruition.
God knew exactly what He was doing--and the devil had to do a "double-take" for the Prince of Egypt was a Prince of the Most High God, prepared, NOT to be a no-good "basket case" eaten by the crocadiles in the River Nile, nor an Egyptian prince "basket case" to party and pleasure in sinful indulgence--but prepared to bless God's people and bring them out of bondage. What the devil meant for harm, God meant for good--and that principle still works today - for ME and YOU!
So--devil, do a doubletake again! The God we serve is able to lift up the fallen, heal the afflicted, cleanse the sinner, encourage the saint, comfort the distressed mind, bring joy to the depressed spirit, peace to the guilty soul--and all YOU mean for evil, God will turn around for GOOD. He loves to take the "basket cases" of a fallen world and make them into showpieces FOR the heavenly world, to display HIS grace, HIS goodness and HIS glory.
He did it for Moses--and He does it daily for Christians like you and me, around the world. So take your own special brand of "baskets" elsewhere, devil--God's got a bountiful basket of blessing and protection that beats any of your schemes - HE will carry us through the waters, crocodiles or no crocodiles--and no weapons formed against us shall prosper.
Moses 'n me: basket case for the Lord?? You better believe it!! So, crocodiles, beware - shut your mouths--find your dinner elsewhere. We are the people of the Lord, protected by the Most High God. We believe His Word, and by faith, we climb into our love-protected, peace-provided, joy-filled BASKETS and sail life's seas in victory for a wonderful day!
--Copyright 2008 by Peggie Bohanon, Springfield, MO.
--Bible readings: Courtesy of "Daily Manna," International Bible Society
--IBSDirect International Bible Society's bulk Bibles/resources at discount prices.
