Trusting God with What We Cannot Control

Preliminary:

Invite to Exodus 2.

Thanks for song & testimonies

You know the realization of expectancy of a child, in a home is generally met with excitement.

When Angie and I found out we were expecting a little over 18 years ago - we were really excited.

Of course you have the mixed emotions - can I really take care of a child, are we going to be good parents,

What all is going to go wrong?

But overall - we were excited.

Shortly after my wife’s pregnancy test, and then confirmation from the doctor, we began to prepare for the arrival of this baby.

We didn’t know what they would be like, we didn’t know their gender as of yet, we didn’t know a lot of things - and still don’t for that matter.

Somewhere within the first trimester I had a dream. In this dream we were in church and someone was sitting behind us holding our child, the cutest little baby girl you ever saw.

So, while I don’t put much belief into my dreams, I thought perhaps we were going to have a girl, and so we went to work preparing girl names.

Somewhere in there Angie went to the doctor, and I was with her as laid on what appeared to be a very uncomfortable bed, in a dark room, while this stranger waved this even stranger looking device over her and unrecognizable, and strange looking black and white shapes and lines appeared on their screen.

This ultrasound was a brand new experience for both of us I think.

As we were wrapping up the visit the ultrasound technician asked the question we were waiting for...

Do you want to know the gender of the baby?

We had talked beforehand and had decided it was better to know so we could prepare better. Other may not feel that way and that is fine.

She pulled up the picture and showed us by pointing out the very clear anatomy that it was going to be a boy.

Oh we were thrilled and began to prepare for this oncoming child, a boy, we started going through names and praying, and asking God to help us know how to raise this child

And on August 15th 2006 in a hospital room in the maternity ward of the Lake Saint Louis Hospital Angie gave birth to Travis.

Oh we were so proud, so happy to show him off. So excited.

The Bible talks about a story of a couple who had a child - and they were just as excited, but they didn’t dare show him off.

Lets read about it in Exodus 2.

a very familiar story of the birth of an amazing man -

Exodus 2:1–10 KJV 1900

1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

The story of Jochebed placing her son Moses in a basket and setting him afloat on the Nile is one of the most poignant acts of faith in Scripture.

Imagine the heart of a mother, holding her precious child, knowing that releasing him into the unknown is the only way to save his life.

It’s a situation filled with fear, uncertainty, and desperation—

a situation where the only option left is to trust God completely.

This brings us to our first point: the reality of facing situations that are beyond our control. Just like Jochebed, we often find ourselves in circumstances where the weight of the world seems to press down on us, and we’re left wondering what to do next."

1. The Situation: A Mother's Dilemma

The dangers of Pharaoh's decree

Exodus 1:22 “22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.”

Jochebed’s impossible situation—protect her child or see him killed.

Illustration: In 1938, as Europe teetered on the brink of World War II, a young British stockbroker named Nicholas Winton was planning a vacation to Switzerland. However, after a call from a friend urging him to visit Prague, he canceled his holiday plans and went to Czechoslovakia instead. What he found there was dire—hundreds of Jewish families were desperate to save their children from the impending Nazi occupation.

Moved by the plight of these children, Winton began organizing what would later be known as the Kindertransport, a series of rescue efforts to bring Jewish children to safety in Britain. Over the next few months, Winton faced countless obstacles. He had no governmental support and little experience in such matters, but he knew that the lives of these children were at stake.

Winton placed his trust in the belief that saving these children was the right thing to do, even though the situation was overwhelmingly out of his control. He worked tirelessly, persuading the British government to allow the children entry, raising funds to cover their expenses, and finding foster homes in Britain. In the end, he succeeded in arranging the safe passage of 669 children out of Nazi-occupied territory.

For decades, Winton kept his incredible efforts a secret. It wasn't until the late 1980s, when his wife found a scrapbook detailing his work, that the world learned of his heroic actions. Nicholas Winton's story shows that even when the odds seem insurmountable and the situation beyond our control, entrusting the outcome to a higher purpose—and acting with courage and faith—can lead to miraculous results.

Reflection

Just like Jochebed, who placed her son Moses in the hands of God when she set him afloat in the Nile, these parents recognized they could not care for, or protect their children and put them in the hands of Nicholas Winton who placed the fate of these children in God's hands, trusting that his efforts would lead to their salvation. Winton couldn't control the outcome—he didn't know if the children would be accepted, or if his efforts would be in vain. But by doing what he could and leaving the rest to God's providence, he became a vessel through which countless lives were saved.

This story serves as a powerful reminder that in our own lives, we may face situations that are beyond our control. Like Winton, we must do what we can, act in faith, and place the rest in God's hands, trusting that He will work all things for good.

Application: We often face situations where we must decide whether to hold on or let go.

2. The Response: Placing the Basket in the Water

The act of faith—Jochebed placing Moses in the Nile (Exodus 2:3).

No doubt as she daubed the slime and pitch on this little ark or basket - she prayed for God to protect and help her child - what else could she do?

Trusting God's providence in uncertain circumstances.

She had to “let go and let God!” some people interpret “let go and let God.” The popular idea of “letting go” is to adopt a sort of spiritual inertia wherein we do nothing, say nothing, feel nothing, and simply live, allowing circumstances to roll over us however they may.

Not Jochebed - she was doing what she could to put Moses in the hand of God.

"Let God" is the latch to hundreds of doors which open to us a larger and deeper life. - J. M. Hames

As children bring their broken toys, with tears for us to mend. I brought my broken dreams to God, because He is my friend. But then instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone. I hung around and tried to help, with ways that were my own. At last, I snatched them back again and cried, “How can you be so slow?” ”My child” He said “What could I do? You never did let go.”

The old Singspiration chorus went:

Let go and let God have His wonderful way;

Let go and let God have His way.

Your burdens will vanish, your night turn to day;

Let go and let God have His way.*

-- Harry D. Clarke

*Copyright Singspiration, Inc. Used by permission.

Application: What are you holding on to that you need to place in God's hands? Whether it’s a relationship, a job, or a fear, let it go.

The Outcome: God’s Sovereign Plan

God's intervention—Pharaoh's daughter finds Moses (Exodus 2:5-6).

The greater purpose—Moses becomes the deliverer of Israel.

Illustration: Share a story where God worked things out better than anyone could have planned.

Application: God’s plan is often beyond our understanding, but it is always for our good (Romans 8:28).

As we’ve journeyed through the story of Jochebed and reflected on the challenges we face in our own lives, we see that trusting God with what we cannot control is not just a single act, but a way of life. Jochebed’s story reminds us that when we place our most precious concerns into God’s hands, we are not abandoning them; we are entrusting them to the One who holds all things together.

Perhaps you are standing at the edge of your own Nile River today. The situation before you may feel overwhelming, the outcome uncertain. But take heart—just as God had a plan for Moses, He has a plan for you and for the things you are struggling to let go of.

Remember, it was only after Jochebed placed the basket in the water that God’s miraculous provision unfolded. Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses, and he was drawn from the water, not only to be saved but to be used mightily by God.

So today, I challenge you to identify what you need to release into God’s hands. It may be a fear, a relationship, a burden, or a dream. Whatever it is, know that as you place it in God’s care, you are making room for His power to work in ways you cannot imagine.

Let us close in prayer, asking God to give us the strength to trust Him fully, to surrender our worries, and to embrace His perfect plan for our lives.