Food for Friday
And it came to pass in process of time that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. Exodus 2:23
Hard work, cruel beatings, and the hopelessness of slavery… life was hard for the Israelites in Egypt. We can not imagine how hard their existence was, as they made bricks for their taskmasters, and as they endured burdens and humiliation daily. There was no end, it seemed, to the weight of their toil and to the sting of the lash. There was no sign of relief nor anyone to plead their cause. In their agony and hopelessness, all they could do was sigh and cry. And as He always does when His people cry, God heard and took careful note of their tears and prayers.
Egypt’s woes are not something that you or I can imagine. It’s difficult for us to grasp what those poor people endured. And yet, we all have our own little Egypts to endure, if only for short periods sometimes. There are times when tragedies strike, and we see no way out of the despair and grief. There are times when heartaches tear our lives apart and the situation seems hopeless. There are times when pain and suffering wrack our mortal bodies and drain our spirits. In these times, we can only sigh and cry, like the children of Israel, and we feel alone and hopeless. But we are never alone. Never has a sigh been breathed nor a cry uttered that the Almighty has not heard and heeded. God had given promises to the patriarchs of the Israelites, and he would honor those promises. God has given promises to you and me, too, and he will honor them.
In our desperation, we sometimes feel we are overwhelmed. But God has promised that no trial we face is beyond our endurance. This promise enables us to endure. When we feel hopeless and alone, we can remember God’s promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and we are comforted by the reminder of His presence. In our pain and sorrow, we remember that the Lord Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, and we rest in the comfort of His companionship. For all the bondage and burdens that we encounter, the Word has a promise to meet the need. Because God has heard us, and He has heeded.
If our path is joyful today, let us give thanks. If our path today be through the thorns of pain and sorrow, let us cry to our God and appreciate His response. -Jim MacIntosh