Exodus 1:15-21 (ESV)
15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
The birthing stool was constructed of 2 large circular slabs of stone set side by side with a gap in the middle. The expectant mother would place each thigh on each stone, the gap was the place that the midwife would have access to hold the baby as he or she was born.
The Hebrew name for the birthstool was Oben and it meant ‘double stones’. What is interesting, is that this word ‘Oben’ is also the same word for ‘the potter’s wheel’ spoken of in Jeremiah 18:3 this was a place where God who is the potter, would remake and remould us, the clay, on the potter’s wheel.
Later versions of the birthstool are actual chairs and benches; however, the original design was just two large stones side by side. Immediately the saying ‘Between a rock and a hard place’ comes to mind. Think about it, when a person has a difficult circumstance to overcome and they only have unfavourable decisions to make, usually the person would say “I’m between a rock and a hard place”.
The amazing thing with God is that in our most difficult times, that’s when we grow, that’s when we go to another level. 🙏🏾💖 #Devotional #Jesus #SimplyMichMich Click To TweetThe amazing thing with God is that in our most difficult times, that’s when we grow, that’s when we go to another level. That’s when we birth our blessing, that’s when God does something new in our lives, we transform, the experience does something to us that no textbook could do.
It’s a time of crushing and birthing all at the same time. It’s the time of being marred and reshaped all over again and it’s also the time of producing what was conceived in the intimate time with the Lord in the secret place.
At no point in the birthing process does the mother hop off the birthstool pack her bags and say “not right now, I’ve got other things to do!!” No, this baby is going to come whether she has other things to do or not. She had to get into the posture and the position to give birth.
It’s a time of crushing and birthing all at the same time.
Simply MichMich
The posture and the position to birth is a surrender to the process without tantrums, fighting and mistrusting God. It is resting in between the contractions, gathering strength and getting ready to push when you feel another one coming. Though you suffer and cry, you suffer well with Christ Jesus without backbiting and blaming God, knowing that we will glory with Him if we suffer with Him (Romans 8:17).
My question to you is, if you could see yourself on the birthstool or on the Potter’s wheel (metaphorically speaking) what would be your posture and position? See the birthing stool, maybe some of us may need to adjust our approach, maybe some of us may not have even identified that crushing and birthing go together.
Wherever you are in your walk with God, let’s give Him the glory that we are not by ourselves. We have a saviour that continues to intercede for us and is helping us through some of the most vulnerable times in our lives on the way to glory!
Have a blessed week!
This is God’s word spoken in love. Remember The LORD our God, He is good and His mercies endure forever. May the blessings of the LORD overtake you and come upon you and His love surround you, for His glory. Have a blessed week. In Jesus Name.
Be a blessing and share this with someone who needs to hear this today.
Take Care x
