Background Notes:

Scripture contains many stories of people bravely defying authority in their efforts to serve God.  Two of these stories from Exodus (i.e., Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1, the women who cared for Moses in Exodus 2) served as the starting point for this hymn. We hear how in the course of one’s daily activities, one may face a choice, or opportunity to say “no” to the commonplace “Pharaohs” of one’s time.  Doing so requires that we live in a posture of trust, not fear.  This courage, however, does not come from our own reserves.  Rather, it is a gift of the spirit and, much like happened with the Hebrew people of old, is strengthened when we live as a people who know their own story and to whom we belong.