For decades, actually several centuries, the people of God endured hardships while enslaved to Egyptian masters. Finally, after much groaning, they cried out to God for help. By now, they had to have been desperate for rescue and deliverance. And so they called.

And when they did, God heard and responded. The people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help … And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant. Exodus 2:23-24

Are we that desperate in our day? Are we aware how dire our circumstances and cry out for help?

Some, but not enough. We are too independent and self-reliant for that. We are ignorant of our situation, preferring to be engrossed in activity or entertainment. We rely on political solutions, hoping it won’t get too bad and perhaps get a little better. We just don’t know what to do. Maybe we attend a fellowship that seeks a new way, one more modern in it’s theology, and all good with adapting to the world around us.

But for those who see the signs of the times, we need to be desperate for the Lord’s intervention, and cry out for His help. Otherwise we are just treading the same ground and making bricks without straw, and the world outside our door falls into more wickedness and more depravity—away from the way of salvation.

This means we must pray, and pray more, both privately and corporately.

In our personal daily prayer times, we seek the Lord on our own behalf and that of our family, friends and neighbors. In our churches, we need prayer meetings, where we seek the Lord for each other, praying for the people of God near and across all the lands.

All of us can pray and should. We cannot leave this to just a few that feel an unction, calling or passion for it. But at least weekly, we all should be in a meeting with others. The people of Israel, and where two or three are gathered, says Jesus, he is among them. God heard THEIR groaning.

When we do this, God hears us as he did then and remembers his covenant. He will remember and act, but will not until and unless we ask!

Remember Jairus? He was desperate, for his daughter was sick to the degree that he sought the Healer. When he found him, Jairus fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” Mark 5:21-23

And the next verse tells us that Jesus went with him.

You see: Jairus implored him earnestly.

That’s desperate. That’s what we need. Men and women of faith in our day who seek the Lord and implore him earnestly.

Not casually or occasionally, but regularly and earnestly.

God will hear us when we do and he will remember. He will deliver, in his way and in his time and in answer to our prayers—for we are here for such a time as this.

This is what God’s people need to be reminded of now, just as they did then: God hears our groaning, God knows our circumstances, and He will act. Not one of His promises will fail. —Alistair Begg

Praying for the People of God from the Word of God

Righteous Father, today we pray like Epaphras, who was a servant of Christ Jesus, we are also always struggling on your behalf in prayers, that we may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. Make us perfect and complete. Amen

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