The children of Israel enjoyed peace and prosperity in Egypt as long as Joseph was on the scene. But Exodus 1:8 tells us that there was a new king and “he did not know about Joseph.” Circumstances changed drastically. In fact, in order to control the population growth of God’s people, the midwives were instructed to kill baby boys at birth.

When Moses was born, his mother concealed him at home for as long as she could. And then to save his life, she hatched this idea. She made a small basket out of papyrus and made it water proof by covering it with tar and pitch. She placed baby Moses in it and put him among the reeds along the shore of the Nile.

In God’s providence, the basket and baby were found by Pharoah’s daughter. Moses was safe and grew to have stature and position alongside Egypt’s rulers. And ultimately, he led God’s people to the promised land.

But, it is that basket that I am thinking about.

September means a return to school, a return to a “regular” schedule, a return to our usual rhythms. But it also means putting some of our loved ones in “a basket.” If they are older, we may have placed their basket in a college many miles away. If they are in High School the “reeds along the river” are  loud and uncertain. And, if we dropped them off in elementary school, there may have been some tears.

Regardless of the age of our children, just like Moses’ mom, we all need to place our children in the basket BY FAITH. By faith, we need to trust the Lord (who loves them more than we do) with that precious life.

This week is a great time to review and renew our commitment to diligently pray for our children, regardless of their age. First and foremost, we need to pray that they will develop a vibrant faith of their own. We should ask the Lord to call them out of our culture and ensure that they have a right and real relationship with God.

Then we need to pray for their friendships. The influence of other kids is significant. Their character will either be strengthened or sand papered depending on who they choose as their new BFFs.

Next we want to pray for their teachers or professors by name. These learned folks have an immense influence on our children. We need to ask God to protect them from the scoffers who lecture or teach with a cynic’s heart. And thank the Lord for those educational mentors who underscore and reinforce  all the Biblical principles we have taught them.

That child in that basket is precious to us and it is time to pray! But remember, he or she is also precious to our Heavenly Father. So, by faith, we send them off!