DAILY BIBLE DEVOTION

 

I HAVE HEARD THEIR CRY

God hears us. He hears the cries of

his people when they are being

oppressed. In this case, the people

of Israel were being oppressed by

the Egyptians and God had placed

Moses in a position to help them be

free. God hears his people cry

today. There is oppression in some

countries of Christians and also of

the Jews. God never abandoned his

chosen people, and he doesn't

abandon those who have chosen to

follow his Son, Jesus. Sometimes

oppression occurs in the

workplace or neighborhoods as

well. Men and women can be

oppressed because of religious

beliefs, for race, for language, for

country of origin, for economic

status, or for gender. While I was

still in college a friend got a job

teaching in an inner city school.

Because the children were mostly

from poor families and minorities,

the budget for supplies was not the

same as that for schools in better

neighborhoods. People got

together and demanded equality. It

took time, but God guided them to

victory. We have a responsibility to

be available for God to use to help

free people from oppression.

Sometimes it is standing up for

equality in the workplace,

sometimnes it is working for

non-discrimination in our policies

providing access to a good

education for all students. We also

have a responsibility to pray tor

freedom of religion in the world.

God is Father to all creation, and

he doesn't want any of his

creatures to suffer oppression. We

need to make sure that we are part

of the solution, not part of the

problem because of our own

possible prejudices.

PRAYER

Lord and Father of us all, may we

never be oppressors of your

children; may we keep our eyes

open and our ears to also hear the

cries of those who suffer and do

what we can for them. Amen.