7-8 God said, “I’ve taken a good, long look at the affliction of my people in Egypt. I’ve heard their cries for deliverance from their slave masters; I know all about their pain. And now I have come down to help them, pry them loose from the grip of Egypt, get them out of that country and bring them to a good land with wide-open spaces, a land lush with milk and honey, the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
9-10 “The Israelite cry for help has come to me, and I’ve seen for myself how cruelly they’re being treated by the Egyptians. It’s time for you to go back: I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the People of Israel, out of Egypt.”
Exodus 3: 7-10 The Message
Are our cries to God heard by Him? Does the Lord hear our prayers? Such questions have been asked from the beginning of time. People of faith believe that the answer is yes. Others who are skeptical view prayer as a futile exercise, since many do not even believe in God, or any god…
This story from Exodus 3 offers a powerful answer. At the beginning of the chapter, Moses encounters God in the form of a burning bush. Then this conversation takes place. God Almighty shares His vision, and His fervent plan to get the Israelites out of Egypt, and captivity.
What motivated God to act? The Lord had heard the Israelites' cries and prayers for Him to come and help them, and deliver them. The Lord stated that He knew all about their pain. Even then, He knew what would happen to His own son. The We can never be certain about Lord’s timing, but we see that God is aware of our suffering. Moreover, He chooses His perfect times to come and help His people. God has decided not only the timing, but also the leadership needed. The Lord decided that Moses would the perfect person for the job.
Further in the scriptures, we see Moses questioning this call from the Lord, for he feels unworthy of such an undertaking. Hearing the Lord’s directions and following them is sometimes not easy. I will save this subject for another devotional. What I want us to focus on here is the fact that God does hear our cries. The Lord is very aware when there is pain and suffering. For the Israelites, He shares part of His plan with Moses. God’s plan for us may also come in pieces. Details like the parting the Red Sea are not yet mentioned to Moses. Yet the fact that God has a plan is enough for us to secure our hope, faith and trust in Him.
The incredible, unusual and unexpected ways the Lord rescued His people should always be remembered. We never know who the Lord sends into our lives as messengers from Him. We must always be prepared: open, and ready to be on the move. We know the Israelites had suffered for many years. We ourselves may feel the same way: like our cries are hollow, but they are not. Sometimes the Lord will say to us, “Not yet.” Other times, He will say, “Now!” Waiting for the Lord is still waiting on the Lord. Often, we want our needs answered immediately. We would like to snap our fingers, and have the Lord do our bidding. Yet 2nd Peter 3:8 reminds us that with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years. All time is in the Lord’s hands.
Prayer
Lord of all eternity,
When I am struggling with my lack of patience and my great pain, help me to keep to Your plan. May I remember that all things eventually work together for good for those who love You. May I celebrate You, finding joy in things I often overlook as blessings from You. Let me be wise enough to heed Your direction. Keep my heart open to You, and Your messengers. Thank you for the width and depth of love You have for me. I pray this prayer in the name of the one who came to deliver us from sin, Your son, and my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
PS. A musical setting of the Israelites’ prayer, “Deliver Us” is found in the Dreamworks movie, “The Prince of Egypt”. It is composed by Hans Zimmer.
Here is the link:
Deliver Us (The Prince Of Egypt/Soundtrack Version) Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Deliver Us (The Prince Of Egypt/Soundtrack Version) · Ofra Haza · Eden Riegel The Prince of Egypt ℗ 1998 SKG Music L.L.C. Released on: 1998-01-01 Producer: Hans Zimmer Composer Lyricist: Stephen Schwartz Auto-generated by YouTube. www.youtube.com
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