Exodus 3:7-8a – The LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.  So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Here we see the heart of God, the heart of grace.  Moses has come across a burning bush as he pastures his father-in-law’s flocks in the wilderness on Mount Horeb.  It was an unusual spectacle; the bush was not consumed by the fire.  Moses notices this marvelous thing and turns aside to draw near to the blazing bush.  God speaks to him out of the fire, calling him to holy ground.

God identifies Himself as the God of Moses’ forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.  In doing so, He is letting Moses know that He has not forgotten His people.  By grace, God had called Abraham to leave his home.  By grace, He gave Abraham a son in his old age, Isaac.  By grace, He brought Rebekah into Isaac’s life, and gave them twin sons, continuing the lineage through his chosen one, Jacob.  By grace, he kept Jacob’s twelve sons alive through seven years of famine, bringing them safely to Egypt.  Grace got the children of Israel to where they were, and grace kept them for four hundred years as they flourished and grew stronger under the tyranny of the Egyptians.  Just as God had promised, Abraham became a great nation.

Now it was time for grace to act once more.  God’s words to Moses are simple, profound and prophetic, and they define for us what the grace of God really is.

I have seen their affliction.
I have heard their cry.
I am aware of their sufferings.
I have come down to deliver.
I will bring them up.

Has not God seen our affliction, our sin-sickness?  To “see” is to observe, to give attention to, to gaze at.”  God looks at us, even in our unworthiness and unholiness.  Grace does not turn its face away, but looks us directly in the eye, assuring us, He sees.

Has God not heard our cry?  He “hears with attention, with the intent to listen.”  Our prayers are not simply the background noise of heaven.  Grace does not tune us out, but focuses on the cry of our heart, for He listens.

Is God not aware of our sufferings?  To be aware is “to know, to recognize, and to consider.” Grace identifies with our pain and sorrow.  Grace feels what we feel.  He knows.

Has God not come down to deliver us?  Christ on the cross is the One who rescues.  Grace stoops low to show kindness to the lowly.  He delivers.

Has God not raised us up, seating us in the heavenlies at the present time?  Our citizenship is in heaven, and one day grace will carry us into the presence of God, for He will bring us up.

God is the source of grace, for God is gracious.  Moses met the God of grace in a burning bush.  Where did you meet Him?

Hebrews 2:9 –  But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

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Taken from Grace & Glory: A 50-Day Journey in the Plan and Purpose of God, a new devotional coming out this May.  If you would like to be notified when the devotional is available, email me.

Thanks for reading,
Sheila