October 27, 2008
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Those who are suffering
“The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them…and bring them…into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…. I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you…’” Exodus 3:7-10
God sees and hears and is concerned about those who are suffering. He came down to rescue and to bring the Israelites to a land of milk and honey. Not only does He deliver His people from harm, but He delivers them to GOOD. God’s heart is really for His people. He sees and hears their cries (He does not turn a blind eye or a deaf ear), and He is concerned about suffering. He does not want His people to experience suffering.
I think this should be something on the top of our list of the “purpose and mission” of our family. God is concerned about those who suffer, so we should also be concerned and do what we can to help alleviate their suffering.
He called Moses who himself says, “Who am I that I should go?” All of us can relate in some way to where Moses is coming from. We come from weird, imperfect family dynamics or have odd childhood histories, and we’ve somehow overcome that and found our way in this world somewhat — with our jobs, our routines, our friends, and our families. That’s Moses’ story. He had a complicated childhood (being left in the Nile, being adopted, being nursed by his biological mother; his adopted grandfather never accepted him and tried to kill him after he accidentally killed someone, etc), he got married, had a child, had a job (shepherding), knew God vaguely but certainly not deeply nor intimately, and God called him out (an ordinary guy with a somewhat complicated history – not one a politician would want, mind you) and said, “I care about these people who are suffering. Go do something about it for me, and I will be by your side.”
It doesn’t matter where we are or what we’re doing now, (our plans, agendas or priorities), God wants us to help those who suffer. Whether Sam and I are “busy” in seminary, working secular jobs or missionaries, we need to help those who suffer — whether it’s foster babies or people with broken hearts. This is what’s on God’s heart. Hearts were not made to be broken.
Comments (5)
Ahh, maybe all this thinking about the land of milk and honey was the inspiration for the Honey-Vanilla Chamomile tea that you’re drinking now.
More seriously, we should try to empathize with those who are suffering, to put ourselves in their shoes, and see their pain and listen to their complicated stories… and do something about it.
i think this is a noble ambition for your family… but there is so much suffering out there…
@ihtc - Too true. It is a rather insurmountable task, isn’t it? But I guess this just means that we have to care for the ones whom God brings on our path and to our attention. Perhaps the mission would be to have this goal drive all our activities as a family (i.e. what do we do together in our spare time? how do we spend our vacations and holidays?, etc) – to be aware of those who might be suffering around us and to seek ways to care for them.
Thanks for the post! When I first started reading I thought of myself as one undergoing suffering. I was comforted by the reminder that God cares. But then I began to think, “I have received quite a bit of comfort from God through others, through His word… just through different means that He’s given me recently in the midst of this tough time.”
I know how to care for others because I have such great examples in my life, and that made me smile and look forward to my day.
@licoreen - I’m so glad God used it to encourage you! Awesome.