Perpetual Prayer and Praise

And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. – Exodus 12:41

The children of Israel had been enslaved and oppressed by the Egyptians about four hundred and thirty years. During that time, they prayed, cried out, and believed God to set them free. Finally, the day came when they were delivered from their captors.

Once again, our lives are interrupted and disrupted by another senseless killing of a young African American man at the hands of law enforcement. Some of us have prayed and prayed though it seems there is no answer. Yet, like the Israelites, we must keep the faith and continue to look to God for our day of deliverance. That is easier said than done, because, among other reasons, our suffering continues as we wait. However, his timing is not ours. We do not understand why He does or allows what He does. We do know He is the all-powerful, all-wise, sovereign God. We can look to Him for strength and peace to endure the unthinkable.

Strolling down my newsfeed, I also see pictures of newborn, beautiful babies. While we mourn the loss of life, there is new life for which we give God praise. Four hundred and thirty years spans several generations. There were many of the Israelites who did not see freedom during their lifetime, but the younger ones did. The children we see today are reason enough to continue to pray and believe God. Hopefully, when they are older, they will not see a day like this.

So, as discouraging as it may be, let us persevere in our prayer and praise to the most high God. He is our hope. He will continue to bless us. And, in His own time and way, He will deliver us.