Once a year in this country, we observe a day honoring our mothers – Mother's Day. Every year at that time I always think of my mother and remember her for the many sacrifices that she made for me during my life. I can say without reservation that she was the best example, the best influence and the best person in my life. Her memory is a real treasure, and I will never forget what she did for me. One of my biggest regrets is that I was not as good a son to her as she was a mother to me!

First, let us look at the example of the wife of Abraham, Sarai whose name was changed to Sarah. "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be" (Gen. 17:15). Sarah was the half sister of Abraham. They had the same father, but different mothers. "And yet Indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife" (Gen. 20: 12).

There was a famine in the land of Canaan, so Abraham [Abram] took his wife Sarah [Sari] and traveled to Egypt to escape the famine. Because Sarah was an attractive woman, Abraham feared that the Egyptians would kill him and take Sarah from him. To prevent this from happening, he conspired with Sarah to tell the Egyptians she was his sister and not his wife. The plan backfired. Even though Abraham's life was spared, Sarah was taken into Pharaoh's house, because he did not know Sarah was Abraham's wife. It was only because God intervened and sent a plague upon the house of Pharaoh and revealed to him that Sarah was the wife of Abraham, that they were both saved.

When Pharaoh became aware that Sarah was Abraham's wife, he sent them away. "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, ‘Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.' And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, ‘What is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? So I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.' And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had" (Gen. 12:10-20).

This says a lot about the character of Sarah. She was obviously very loyal and faithful to Abraham to go along with this under such extreme and dangerous conditions. Also, she must have shown deep faith and trust in God to save her and Abraham from this crisis, because she obviously said nothing to the Pharaoh. "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised" (Heb. 11: 11).

This is just one example of the character of Sarah, of whom the Bible refers to as a "holy woman." "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement" (1 Pet. 3:5-6).

The Bible says very little about the life of Jochebed, but what is revealed is another exceptional example of the love and sacrifice of a godly woman. Jochebed is the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. "And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years" (Exo. 6:20).

The scriptures tell us Jochebed gave birth to Moses in Egypt. At that time in history, Egypt was a very dangerous place for the children of Israel - especially for the birth of the Hebrew children. Before we look at the sacrifices of Jochebed for her new born son Moses, let's go back in time to see what brought about the conditions in Egypt that made it so hard and dangerous for the Hebrew people - as explained in the first chapter of Exodus.

During the time when Jacob and his sons were alive and living in Egypt, they were welcomed by Pharaoh and the Egyptian people. Joseph held a high position in the Egyptian government and the children of Israel lived in peace and were prosperous. After Jacob and Joseph died and all of their generation, the people of Israel began to multiply greatly and the land of Egypt was filled with the Hebrew people. During this period a new king became ruler of Egypt that did not know Joseph. This new king feared the children of Israel because of their growth in numbers. He feared they would become a mighty nation and turn on the nation of Egypt. To prevent any threat from Israel, he made them slaves to labor under the control of Egyptian task masters.

But even as slaves, the nation of Israel continued to grow and the fear of them increased. The Pharaoh increased their work load and made their lives much harder. The Egyptian ruler then told the Hebrew mid-wives to kill all of the male children at birth. The mid- wives feared God though, and refused to kill the male babies. They told the Pharaoh that the Hebrew women gave birth before the mid-wives arrived. Because of this, God protected the mid-wives and the Israelites continued to multiply. The Egyptian ruler then commanded that every son born of a Hebrew should be cast in the river and every female child should be saved alive.

This brings us up to the time of the birth of Moses. After his birth, Jochebed hid Moses for three months until she could hide him no longer. She then made him an ark, covered it with pitch and then laid Moses in the ark and put it in the edge of the river. "And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could no 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" (Exo.2:1-3).

Pharaoh's daughter, finding a child at the rivers edge, obviously knew that Moses was a Hebrew child, but she had compassion on the child and wanted to keep him for herself. Miriam, Moses' sister, saw this happen and asked Pharaoh's daughter for permission to go and find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for her. Pharaoh's daughter's answer was "yes," so Miriam arranged for her and Moses' mother, Jochebed, to nurse the child Moses. "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.' 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?' And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, ‘Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother'" (Exo. 2:6-8).

God in His mercy no doubt intervened for Jochebed so she could continue to nurse and help raise her own son. As merciful as this was for her, the hard part was yet to come. The day came when Jochebed had to give Moses to Pharaoh's daughter to be raised as her son. She had to watch him grow into a man as a member of Pharaoh's family. "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. 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'" (Exo. 2:9-10).

Any parent that has lost a child can understand how Jochebed must have grieved to let go of her own son. This is just another example of a godly woman making whatever sacrifice is necessary out of love and for the benefit of her own child. Everyone that has been blessed enough to have grown up under the guidance and care of a good mother should thank God daily.

The King now wanted someone to be queen to replace Vashti. He gathered together all the fair young virgins in the land to his palace. The one that most pleased the King would qualify to replace Vashti as queen (Est. 2:1-4). The King came to love Esther above all others. But he did not know she was a Jew because Mordecai told her not to reveal it. "Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it" (Est. 2:10).

Haman, an officer of the King, hated the Jews and sought to destroy them. Mordecai being a Jew refused to bow down to Haman as did all of the King's servants. When Haman saw that Mordecai refused to bow down to him, he was full of wrath toward Mordecai. The responsibility fell upon Esther to approach the King to stop the holocaust of the Jewish population. Esther sent word to Mordecai to inform all the Jewish population to fast for her for three days and she and her maidens would fast also. After the fast, she would approach the King at the risk of her own life. She said, "If I perish, I perish!" (Est. 4:1-17). This was a very courageous act for the young Jewish queen.

On the third day, Esther came before the King. She had taken the first dangerous step and came into the presence of the King uninvited. Here we see God's hand involved as the King's heart is receptive to Esther. "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will" (Prov. 21:1). The King asked Esther what her request was. This appeared to be a perfect opportunity for Esther to bring down Haman, since the King was willing to give her whatever she asked. But Esther is wise beyond her years. She understood the value of proper timing! "God is not unjust to forget His people" (Hebrews 6: 10). When everyone else has forgotten - God remembers!