God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.
—Exodus 2:24- 25
At first glance, this verse seems too nonchalant for the situation. God was “concerned about” the Israelites at this time, but they had already been in slavery almost 400 years. Many Christians, even veteran Bible readers, might look at this verse and think, “Why was God only concerned at this point? Why does God often not respond to us until it is too late, or almost too late, to change our situations?”
This, like a plethora of other Bible verses, is one of the most frustrating to digest. Knowing exactly what the words mean can make it easier. Here, “concerned about” denotes deep compassion and omniscient knowledge. When people use this phrase, they often mean, “I’m worried but may or may not do anything about it.” When God uses the same phrase, He means, “This is of great concern to Me, and I will act on behalf of this person or people.”
The question still remains—why didn’t God act sooner? We can’t answer this, but we can draw strength from who we know God is. He is the embodiment of love. He sees and knows all, and He acts in ways that are best for us. If He seems to delay, it’s not because He wants His people to stay enslaved or oppressed. It may be because He wants us to grow or because He is preparing certain people for acts of obedience, as He prepared Moses to deliver the Israelites.
You may be in a difficult situation right now and wondering why God doesn’t deliver you right away, especially if you’ve prayed about it a long time. Never give up asking for deliverance; ask more persistently. God sees and is concerned about you, and He will never forget you.
Comments