Zipporah's Flint

Has someone ever said to you “Thank you – you saved the day”? Typically, if someone has said that to you it meant whatever your actions were, they were a great help to someone, and that without them they would not have been the same.

In Exodus chapter four we read about a brave, discerning, and quick-thinking woman whose actions also helped save not only the day but a life. In Exodus four the woman that we read about is Zipporah, who was married to Moses. The two of them, at the point of this story, were making their way to Egypt with their son. They were making this trip because God had told Moses he was to go to Egypt and lead the people out from under the bondage of Pharoah. As Moses and Zipporah were making their, way the Bible says the life of Moses was in danger because their son was uncircumcised. Zipporah though the scripture, says, took out a flint performed the circumcision herself and the life of Moses was then spared and their journey continued uninterrupted.

Now perhaps God was angry at Moses because Moses knew he was to have his son circumcised and he had not at this point for whatever reason. This is not made clear to us. The scriptures do not give us many answers regarding that, but we can learn is the example of Zipporah. Zipporah proved that day to be quick in her thinking, and she did what she had to do in order to save her family. Her actions also proved to be of great necessity for them as a family to be able to move forward in what God was calling them to do. Although this moment in time must have been a very scary one, Zipporah’s actions helped save not only the day but a life.

To read about this situation we can often overlook the fact of Zipporah’s great discernment as to what the matter was and then to do what she could do to fix it. Imagine if you, will although it may be hard, the task of circumcising someone yourself. Imagine the bravery that would take. One would have to say it could not have happened without some fear, screams, and anxiety. God gave her not only the will to do it but also the skill of hand to perform it and in the right amount of time.

To picture me in that same situation I have to say I wonder if I would be able to do such a thing. Would I be able to physically perform it carefully enough to not cause damage? Would I let my emotions get in the way and cloud my thinking? Truly I don’t know the answers to those questions, but I do know Zipporah has set a great example.

So, while you and I may never be in that particular circumstance we need to remember we will face difficult situations. We will face something that will require discernment, faith, trust, bravery, obedience, and the ability to act quickly. We will have to dig down deep just like Zipporah had to do that day to get through it. If you had told her what she would have to do on some road she was traveling, she would have never believed you, yet it happened. Life does not always bring things to us that are expected, comfortable, or easy. The answer, though, is that God will and does give the discernment for us to make the right choice if we’re willing to see it. That day, Zipporah had no time to sit around wondering what was happening to her family or spend too much time wondering why. She quickly saw what needed to be done and did it. If you could talk to her now, she would probably say it was only by the grace of God she was able to do what she did.

So, whatever you or I come up against in life, we need to realize God will tell us what we need to know in order to make it through it.

We need to also remember we are capable of many many things through God's strength and power. So, while we may be facing something that is threatening or seems threatening, the truth is we are not alone and we are not helpless. We have the power of the living God residing inside of us, and He is there to help. We need to be willing to discern and act swiftly – just as Zipporah did the day she took out a flint, and with God’s help, saved not only the day but a life.

What About You?

1. Can you commit to doing whatever God is asking of you at the moment you realize it?

2. Understand God requires immediate obedience. This story also reveals that Moses' delayed obedience in circumcising his son brought chaos down the road...so pray for God to give you such a humble heart to obey and not to delay.