Have you ever been in such a desperate situation you didn't know what
to do, where to turn, or what to say? Have you ever been caught up in circumstances
that seemed to be unending, unsolvable, and unbearable? Have you ever been
in such danger that you thought you'd surely die before anyone could help?
A little girl was in such a situation. Her mama and daddy had died and
she lived with her grandma. She slept in an upstairs bedroom and one night
there was a fire in the house. In an effort to save her grandchild, grandma
lost her own life. Neighbors called the fire department but they were delayed
in arrival. Nobody could enter the house to rescue the little girl who
had appeared in the upstairs window calling for help. They heard her cries,
but were unable to respond. In the familiar text from exodus, we see that
God heard the cry of the oppressed Israelites. But he was able to respond.
He's like that. He has ears attuned to us and is able to help. He is able
to give just what you need, just when you need it.
GOD HEARS THE CRY OF THE AFFLICTED
2:23-25:
The Egyptians had forgotten the blessing Joseph had been; now they feared
the Israelites as a potential threat and made life miserable for them.
And the cry of distress from the lips and hearts of a downtrodden people
rose to the ears of a beneficent God.
There are many biblical references to the truth that God hears the cry
of the afflicted:
When Cain slew his brother Abel, God said, "What have you done? The voice
of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground." Genesis
4:10. God heard
that cry!
And the Lord said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and
their sin is exceedingly grave." Genesis
18:20. God heard
that outcry!
To exiled Hagar when God heard her son Ishmael crying, the angel of God
called from heaven, and said to her, "What is the matter with you, hagar?
Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is." Genesis
21:17. God heard the voice of that lad!
The word of the Lord came to Jonah "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city,
and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." Jonah
1:1-2. God heard the cry of that city!
Those of us who have suffered some degree of hearing loss can appreciate
that our Heavenly Father can discern the smallest cry from the cacophony
of sounds and voices rising before Him without cease. He hears them all!
Today He hears the cry:
Of the unborn being offered on the altar of abortion.
Of the abused and battered, beaten into subjugation by those who ought
to love them most.
Of the broken spirits enslaved to lust, pornography, alcohol, narcotics,
eating disorders and other oppressive taskmasters.
Of the wounded, overwhelmed and weary who have given up on life.
Of the sinful, the perverted, the twisted, the broken, the ruined who have
too long given themselves to every sort of unbounded pseudo-pleasures.
There is a great cry rising up to the ears of God, and He hears it. The
little girl cried out for help. Still the fire department did not arrive,
but a man came with a ladder, put it up against the side of the house and
went inside. The pitiful cries of the little girl had moved him to action.
He could not just stand by and listen, he had to go in to try a rescue.
So the Israelites cried out in their spirits and their oppression shouted
into the ears of God, "Send somebody!" And He sent just what they needed,
just when they needed it.
GOD SENDS HELP TO THE DISTRESSED:
3:10:
He singled out Moses in this instance. From the divine display of pyrotechnics
in the bush, the voice of the Lord's messenger said, "Go down moses, way
down to Egypt's land; tell old Pharaoh, 'let My people go!'"
He has always sent the right people at the right time with the right words.
Jeremiah was sent to Jerusalem and Judah.
Jonah was sent to Nineveh.
Peter was sent to the household of the Roman soldier, Cornelius.
Philip was sent to the Ethiopian eunuch as he rode by in the chariot.
Paul was sent to the gentiles
God has never been without a witness, without a voice, without a messenger.
Perhaps today He has singled you out to send you with His word in some
special way. Will you go?
He sends:
Parents to unsaved children and children to unsaved parents.
Husbands to unsaved wives, wives to unsaved husbands.
Siblings to unsaved siblings.
Friends to unsaved friends.
Strangers to unsaved strangers as their paths cross.
God hears the cry of the afflicted and sends help to the distressed. Perhaps
you are the one He will send. A man heard the cry of the distressed little
girl and wanted to save her so he climbed the ladder, entered the burning
house and was gone for what seemed a long time. When the reappeared, he
was carrying her in his arms, his hands badly burned. Descending the ladder,
he placed her in the waiting arms of the neighbors and disappeared into
the night. He had heard her cry and came to save her. He did just what
she needed, just when she needed it. God heard the cry of the oppressed
Israelites and He did just what they needed, just when they needed it.
GOD SAVES THOSE WHO CRY TO HIM: 3:8:
Though moses rebelled, made excuses and drug his feet, and though the Israelites
often proved stubborn, stiff-necked and ungrateful, yet those who trusted
and obeyed were led surely from Egyptian bondage and into Canaan land.
But salvation does not always mean being taken out of the difficulty; sometimes
he saves us in or through it.
Jesus prayed for deliverance from the cross but He went to the cross and
his salvation came through resurrection.
Paul prayed for the removal of his thorn in the flesh, some physical ailment,
but God gave him grace and power to endure it.
Salvation may not mean rescue from the problem, but preservation and protection
in it.
But, and mark this, He will always save from sin those who learn to hate
and forsake it, calling on His name in faith "for whoever will call upon
the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans
10:13.
And, make no mistake about this, He will always save from God's holy wrath
all who call on Him. "Much more then, having now been justified by His
blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." Romans
5:9.
There is a world out there crying for help. There are drug addicts and
homosexuals and drunkards and liars and adulterers and thieves and murderers
and idolaters whose sins cry out to a holy God. Those cries do not go unheard
or unheeded. God sends someone to save those who cry out to Him.
God has done for us in Jesus Christ just what we needed, just when we needed
it.
He sent him into the world to be the Savior from sin,
He sends help to every person who cries out to Him
He gives the gift of life to all who believe.
By the quick thinking and courageous action of the man who rescued her
from fire, the little girl was given the gift of life. But her grandma
had died in the fire and since she had no other known relatives, some decision
had to be made as to where to place the little girl. At a meeting to make
the decision a teacher said she'd like to raise the child and provide a
good education. A farmer said she ought to be raised on his farm. The richest
resident of the town said he could provide all the benefits and advantages
she would need. Then a man stepped forward who was clearly in pain. He
held out his burned and scarred hands to the little girl who leapt into
his arms and said, "This is the man who rescued me!" And throwing her arms
around his neck, she buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed. Then she
looked up and smiled at him. Have you looked up to see the nail scarred
hands of Jesus reaching out to you? If you have you ought to respond, "This
is the one who rescued me!" As God sent moses to Egypt, He sent Jesus to
the world. He bore your sins on Calvary. He took them to the grave. He
rose to assure you of eternal life. He did just what you needed, just when
you needed it. Now Jesus sends His church out with the gospel. Will you
go to a world that is dying and tell them that He will save them too? Will
you give them the life-saving gospel? Will you tell them of the only One
who has the power to save? You see, Jesus not only holds His hands out
to you, but through you to the world. Jesus calls you to come to Him, and
then tells you to go to the world -- will you?
Story from a 2nd Helping Of Chicken Soup For The Soul,
Canfield & Hansen p.128