Photo by Henning Witzel on Unsplash
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” (Exodus 3:7, 8 NIV).
As I typed away on my laptop, I heard some mumbling noises outside. When I opened my front door, there lay my lovely wife on the ground of our home’s walkway! “Oh, No!” She had stumbled and fallen. As I helped her up, I saw the tear on the right side of her pants. And, I noticed bleeding! We hurried to Care Now for stitches to close up her wound.
Earlier this month, we made three trips to the ER. One trip involved an examination of my wife’s head injury. Another trip related to a possible fracture on her knee and the last one concerned her ankle. What a week of tremendous pain for her! Her pain level at times became 10 out of 10! Praise God, she is feeling much better now.
Seeing our loved ones in pain brings about the most helpless feelings. Observing the grimace on his/her face, the moaning and groaning becomes heart wrenching. And, administering Tylenol doesn’t always bring relief! Prescription pain medicine works but it wears off. A feeling of helplessness drains you.
Most of us have had difficult life experiences, but we wonder, “Does God see what is happening and does He feel anything for our loved one or for us in those situations?” Israel’s enslavement wasn’t just a week, a month, a year, but it lasted decades. Sometimes it seems to us that God doesn’t notice the details of our lives, but He does. God says He knew of the Israelites’ sufferings that means He saw it from start to finish.
God knows our limits due to our physical and or emotional sufferings. He will come to our aid whether through other individuals or direct intervention, God may even allow our loved ones to go home to be with Him to end their suffering and ours. When the Lord sees His children suffering, He cares because He is our Heavenly Father. And yes, as a spouse or parent, son/daughter or friend, God even cares how you are feeling and not just for our suffering loved one. Does God care? Yes, help is on the way. Don’t give up hope. God does care for YOU.
Kingston Tong
July 30, 2023