The Family Basket

 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. ~Exodus 2:3 

Do you have a basket? What do you keep in it? Are there treasures inside? Baskets are beautiful works of art. I love placing the ribs side by side then weaving in other ribs to make the stout bottom that supports the rest of the basket. As I was thinking about our family it reminded me of the baskets I've made and used. If I don't make a tight weave across the bottom with the ribs the basket will have holes and won't hold the berries or herbs or other items I place in them.

Some baskets are made tight enough to hold water. Mine are not that tight. But I thought -families need to be woven tight. Families can't let anything in that will weaken or destroy its integrity. Nor can families leave anyone out. Every person is valuable to the family.

When Moses was born, the Pharaoh gave orders to kill all the baby boys by throwing them into the Nile. Moses was important to his family, so his mother sealed a basket, placed him inside, and gently lowered it into the river under God's watch care. Yes, his sister was there but all she could do was watch. God held Moses safe in the family basket.

Families weave safe baskets for their children. The bottom of the basket is the foundation, the marriage. As the basket takes shape the spokes across the bottom are turned up to make the ribs. As more material is woven around the ribs, the basket takes shape until it is a complete basket just as children are added to the marriage to complete the family. 

Moses was safe inside the basket. Our children should be safe inside our families. They need to know the stability and love that comes from a family. They also need to know that the main spoke in their family basket is the Lord Jesus Christ. Water makes the basket tighter. It makes the spokes pliable and when dry, the spokes are tight enough to make a sturdy basket. Jesus Christ, our Water of Life will make our marriages strong if we allow Him to soak into our lives and season them with His strength. It is Mom and Dad woven together in Christ that creates that family basket that will keep the children safe and secure in the midst of a culture of destruction. 

Heavenly Father, help us consider how we allow You to weave our marriages together. Help us give you first place that our homes might be a safe basket for our children. In Jesus's name. Amen.