CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 799

“A Cry for Rescue”

Exodus 2:23-25 (ESV) … 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… God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

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I recall a campaign for reelection for governor of a southern state where the incumbent speaking in his characteristic multi-syllabic southern drawl would proclaim, ‘I feel your pain’.  His campaign slogan angered me.  This wealthy politician was as far removed from feeling the pain of the unemployed and working poor in his state as he could be.  The cry for help from the masses seems to always fall on the deaf ears of selfish politicians in state and federal government.  It is frustrating to say the least when it seems that we have no representation or advocate for our cause in government.

Reflect for a moment then on the One who is greater than any government official.  Contemplate His awesome power and love as you look upon all He has created and done. Ponder the fact that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to pay the horrific price for our sins and who now stands before God as our advocate.  Why then, would we cry out to our government officials first and not give our relationship with our heavenly Father priority?

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man… – Psalm 118:8,9 

Reflect on the plight of the nation of Israel as slaves in Egypt.  Notice from our reference Scripture the phrases: God heard, God remembered, God saw, and God knew.

Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.  We are oppressed by more than governments and life situations.  Our first priority is to be rescued from our slavery to sin and to become children of God through repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

…you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness. – Romans 6:16

…God heard… God is not deaf.  We do not have to enter into loud frenzied prayer rituals shouting at God to get His attention.  He hears the subtle, quiet groaning of your heart.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; – Psalm 34:15

…God remembered… This is not to say that God ever forgot anything.  This means that God is mindful of His covenant relationship with His children who are made righteous through Jesus.  It means that God is now ready to act on our behalf.

God saw… This means that God is highly aware of our situations.  Our trials and momentary troubles are not a surprise to Him.  He is faithful to equip us and carry us through all of them.

…God knew.  Unlike worldly politicians, God truly does feel our pain.  He created us and knows us better than we know ourselves.  In the person of Jesus Christ, He overcame all temptations of this world that are common to mankind and suffered a painful death in our place that we may be reconciled to Him.

When you cry out to God may you have faith, hope, and trust in His steadfast love and in His Word that He hears, remembers, sees, and knows.  May you take comfort in knowing that Jesus is your advocate and is interceding on your behalf before the throne of God.