As a children’s pastor I often find myself studying the Old Testament narrative portions of Scripture. In one of those studies several years ago I stumbled across a passage in an early corner of Exodus that I often refer to for comfort and counsel.
When Exodus begins, the children of Israel find themselves as a people without a country. They live in Egypt, serve as slaves, call to God for help, and nothing seems to happen. As Exodus 2 draws to a close, the Israelites, ignorant of God’s coming work, continue to cry out for help. The author writes this:
Exodus 2:24-25 - “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.”
The four verbs in those two verses tell us everything we need to know about God’s work in our hard times. They explain exactly what God does when we cry for help.
God heard their groaning - Ever wonder if your troubled prayer reaches the ceiling only to bounce back down? Ever wonder if God is too busy with the other concerns of the universe to really pay attention to you? Exodus is clear. God hears our groaning.
God remembered his covenant - It’s one thing if God merely hears us. It’s another when he reacts in light of our needs and his promises. The word “remember” doesn’t mean he forgets. God doesn’t have “senior moments” when it comes to his promises. The word ‘remember’ signified that he would act on his promises.
God saw the people of Israel - Even though God heard his people and began to act on his promises, there’s great reassurance to be found in the words, “God saw.” God isn’t getting his information from us secondhand. He sees exactly what our needs are. He sees every hurt we experience, every pain placed on us, every unkind deed we face- even the hidden ones. He sees it all.
And God knew - Perhaps the most reassuring phrase in these two verses is the phrase that ends the chapter. God knows. Our theology teaches very clearly that God knows everything, but these words imply something much greater. God doesn’t merely have a mental awareness of what we are experiencing. God understands it. God gets it. He knows how we feel. He knows the pain, frustration, and fear. God knows.
What are you facing today? What prayers have you cried out to him? God hears your prayers. He remembers all the promises he’s given you. He has seen and continues to see all you face. And he understands.
Pastor Ken Kistler