“During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.”
Exodus 2:23–25
Read By Alistair Begg
The promise of food had encouraged Jacob and his family to leave their famine-stricken land and relocate to Egypt with Joseph. For a time, everything was terrific. But their experience took a turn for the worse when a new king came into power. He didn’t like the idea of Israel’s people growing in stature and number, so he put them to work, ruthlessly enslaving them. Their lives were filled with tears and bitterness.
The people of God still had His promises, but those promises seemed empty. It was easier to trust God when they were receiving the benefit of food than when they were enslaved. In the long years of oppression, some must have said to themselves, “I think God’s forgotten His promise. I wonder if He’s really going to do what He said.” Despite their doubt, they called out to God, desperately seeking rescue.
God hears our groaning, God knows our circumstances, and He will act.
God had not forgotten, and His answer came. God heard their cry, He heard their groaning, and in response, He introduced a rescue operation. God would not leave them in their misery. He was going to fulfill His purposes for His people and set them free from slavery.
This is what God’s people needed to be reminded of then, just as we do now: God hears our groaning, God knows our circumstances, and He will act. Indeed, when we are at a loss for words in our distress, we discover that the Holy Spirit even intercedes for us through our prayerful groanings.1 That’s the level of God’s concern for each of us.
When our souls’ cries seem to go unheard, when we begin to wonder if anyone truly cares, may our minds recall these heartening words:
Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for heav’n and home,When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.2
We should not neglect crying out to God but instead make our requests known to Him. He hears, He cares, and He works on our behalf. Let us take our concerns to Him today.