Miriam

My mom had three children of which I am the eldest. Since I can remember I was under the impression that I was appointed to look after my siblings. I decided somehow that I am their protector and I took this role very seriously. It happened that I will make decisions on behalf of my siblings and later they depended on me to bail them out of difficult situations. As we got older the situation got to a point where I was barely standing under the burden of protecting.  Then we got into a situation where I was unable to intervene. The only person to turn to was the Lord. I felt helpless and was praying for an answer. One day I was so sad and I was crying in prayer. The Holy Spirit stopped me and I got a message, “You are in the way”. The Lord told me “because of you, I cannot reach your siblings” and that is when I stepped back. Something amazing happened – my sister gave her life to Jesus. For years I prayed for this moment.

Miriam was the oldest child as well and she made a big impact on the history of Israel. We all know the story of Moses but we do not really know the story of his sister, Miriam? Most of us can relate to Miriam at some stage in our lives. Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron, the “old sis” and I am sure she also felt compelled to protect her brothers. Miriam was born into slavery in Egypt and knew the harsh and oppressed working conditions of her nation very well. She also knew the customs in Egypt and as the older sibling, she surely carried over the knowledge to her brothers.

Miriam was a slave girl but slavery didn’t define her. Slavery did not break her, it made her stronger, braver, resilient, alert, and attentive. When Moses was born, Pharaoh gave the order to kill all Hebrew baby boys. Miriam helped her mother Jocheded to hide Moses – her baby brother. Jochebed built a basket and baby Moses was put in the basket. Miriam and her mother set the basket to float on the Nile. She was watching over her brother and when he was discovered she bravely approached the Princess. Only 9 or 10 years old she told the Princess that she knew a Hebrew mother to nurse the baby. She bravely made a life and death decision and was wise enough to say she knew a Hebrew mother, not she know the mother of the baby. Her action ensures that Moses stayed with his family for a longer period. Although Miriam was still a child herself, the Lord used her to save her brother, not only a brother but the person that will lead the Israelites out of Egypt. The one that will stand before Pharaoh and demand that his people must go. You might not be Miriam but the Lord will use you as you are with all your shortcomings.

The one thing I missed during Covid-19 in 2020 was praise and worship in church. I was not gifted with a singing voice but in church, no one cares, so I sing my heart out and Miriam did too. When the Israelites walked through the Red Sea, they saw the Egyptian soldiers fast approaching and just when they think they will not escape the soldiers, the walls of the Red Sea collapsed on both horse and driver. Can you imagen the sight of it all it must have been such a relief? Miriam’s response to all of that was to sing and praise the Lord. She took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her. Miriam instantly knew that a new future awaits the Israelites, free as slaves and she sang her heart out.  Exodus 15:20-21 said that she “Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The first thing Miriam did when she realized that they are saved was to acknowledge and praise the Lord.

Miriam was not without sin. She did not like Moses’s Ethiopian wife because she was an outsider and questioned Moses’s ability to lead the Israelites. She starts a rebellion against Moses because she was jealous and prideful. God called the three siblings to a meeting and the result was that Miriam got leprosy as her punishment and was banned to live outside the camp. Moses loved his sister dearly and prayed to God for mercy. Miriam was healed after seven days and could return to camp.

God has a plan for each one of us but not all of us are called to lead a nation.

Miriam, the brave and faithful prophet was loved and respected and the woman waited until she was healed. At the lowest point of her life, she was still respected by the Israelite woman who took care of her when she was sick. Even when she was punished for her disobedience she was still an example by serving her sentence.

Although Miriam was known for saving her brother Moses she made an impact on history and I can truly say Miriam was an influencer.

Prayer: Lord, we acknowledge Your plan for our lives. Let us be what You call us to be and help us to be obedient when you appoint a person to lead us. Amen.

Written by Marie Swanepoel for Women of the Word

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