Thursday, January 26

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

“During that long period, the king of Egypt died.  The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.  God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.  So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” (‭Exodus‬ ‭2:23-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Even though many years had passed with the Israelites living in Egypt, God had not forgotten or abandoned them.  Pharaoh's government had long since dismissed Joseph's contributions, and the Israelites had come to live in forced servitude.  This change likely created fear among the people, and this fear had separated and divided them.  Powerful governments and other forces have employed this overpower-divide-and-conquer technique with minority populations well after ancient Egypt.

Yet, we read in these verses above about God's amazing compassion for His people.  We see that the people's cries reached God's heart and that He "remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob."  His compassion translated to concern and then to action through Moses.

As we have reflected in this blog in previous entries, Moses's status as a murdered and Egyptian refugee would seemingly have made him unqualified for the role that God had planned.  Nonetheless, we may see great preparation in the 80 years of Moses's life to this point.  Having grown up in Pharaoh's household, he had a firm grasp on Egyptian culture and politics; he likely knew the present Pharaoh personally.  His 40 years of exile, taking care of sheep in desert climates, had prepared him for another 40 years (to come) with the Israelites.  And his previous shortcomings had created a humility in Moses that would allow God to channel His power without having Moses's ego take over.

How may we apply this reading to our present-day life?  I believe that we may be encouraged in knowing that God hears the cries of His people and will not abandon His love to them.  For those who have received Christ, God has sent His Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.  How much confidence may we have in His compassion?  He knows the depths of our hearts!

Secondly, like Moses, God may call us to step into respond to those cries.  If we see a need and cry out to God about it, will we trust Him for the courage and strength to respond?  We may be very much like Moses in the beginning, claiming that we don't hold the right credentials.  But, with God, nothing is impossible (cf. Mary's response to the announcement of Jesus's coming birth).

Praise God that He never forsakes or abandons His children!  What a mighty and loving God we serve!

Lord God, thank You for Your intervention in the lives of Your people.  We thank You for the story of the Exodus -- the demonstrations of Your power and faithfulness.  Give us similar hearts of compassion when we see oppression, and strengthen us with the courage and trust to become involved, even at personal cost.  Help us to avoid small thinking when we consider Your compassion.  In Jesus's Name, amen.