God is with us

I was doing some catch up reading this morning from my Daily Walk Bible, in Exodus 3-6, and I was struck by 3:7 which says, "Then the Lord told him (Moses), 'I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.'"

What a comfort to read this..."I am aware of their suffering"! Now granted, the trials that I have faced this week could not be considered suffering by any means. For true suffering, and to stand with and pray for those who are really suffering, check out the Voice of the Martyrs website here.

So while I am not suffering by any means, it was still a great comfort to read that God is seeing the trials that I am going through. Just like how "the cry of the people of Israel has reached me" (Ex. 3:9) so our cries and prayers reach God. We are reminded in Psalm 121:2-4 that

² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.  ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

As the story goes on, and as the slavery and cruel treatment continues for the Israelites, God was there! Moses and Aaron go back to Egypt and visit the elders of Israel and they tell them the message from God that was given to them, and they perform the miraculous signs, and the Israelites believe. "Then the people of Israel were convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron. When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped" (Ex. 4:31).

No matter what we face today as individuals, in our families, in our churches, or at our workplaces I pray we remember and take to heart the words Moses said "to all Israel" before his death in Dt 31:6. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

May we rest in knowing that God our Heavenly Father sees us and our trials; that the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is with us all (2 Cor. 13:14), and that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us (Mt. 1:23). AMEN!