I co-lead a class for persons who feel God may be calling them and wish to further explore how to listen and what it might mean for their lives.  In one of the sessions, the group enters prayer through various forms of art.  It was in that experience that this painting spoke to me personally.

(Painting from “The Blessing of the Lord” by Gary D. Schmidt, illustrated by Dennis Nolan)

I never thought much about Pharoah’s daughter until I saw this portrayal of her.  I looked at her face and the way she held that baby, and I saw LOVE!  I guess I had just put her in the camp of the “enemy”.  She was the Pharoah’s daughter, and the Pharoah ruled.  All of the Hebrew people were in slavery in Egypt, so Pharoah appeared to be the “enemy”.

When Pharoah’s daughter suddenly encountered the baby in the Nile River, she realized this was a Hebrew child.  Pharoah had ordered all male Hebrew babies to be killed.  She could have easily tossed the child aside as one who did not “belong” and certainly not aligned with the royal family!  But look at her face!  She fell in love with this baby.  She decided to embrace this Hebrew child as her own at great risk.  She took him into her family and named him “Moses”.  The children are always the vulnerable ones…subject to the attitudes, assumptions, and actions of their environment.  The Pharoah’s daughter saved Moses’ life.

I love this basket made by women of a third world country.  The word “LOVE” is interwoven through the entire wire basket.  It was through love that Moses was placed in the basket.  And it was through love that he was lifted out of the basket.  All the while, God’s grace held the child.

Eleven years ago my granddaughter Anna was born in China.  Like Moses, she was found in a basket as an infant.  But instead of a river, she was found on the steps of Bu Bu Wang Supermarket with a hat and a note from her mother saying that she loved her.  From those steps she was found and taken to an orphanage.  At 10 months old she traveled across the Pacific Ocean to become part of the Kellond family.

Each time I received the news that a grandchild was to be born my heart leapt for joy!  I actually think I screamed…I was so elated!  Look how wonderful they all are….

I  will never forget the day I heard the news that Anna would be ours.  I began to cry.  It came from the very depths of me unexpectedly.  On all the mission trips I had taken, there had been a child that I wanted to bring home with me.  Now it was finally happening!  Anna would be ours.  I love her dearly.  She is quite special.

Pondering…

Has God’s call in your life ever had anything to do with a child?

How have you experienced love that transcends boundaries?

nk