Read Exodus 2:23-25
“And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage” (v. 23).
How does a person assess “earnestness in prayer”? Some prayer meetings might give the impression that earnestness is equated with volume. The louder the prayer, the more earnest it is. Earnestness might also be evaluated by persistence. In that case, a no-quit attitude would be evidence of earnestness.
It is unlikely that the Israelites in our text came together for times of group prayer. And it is equally unlikely that they prayed at the top of their voices. The authorities would likely have frowned on either scenario. But what is clear is that their cries got the attention of God and that as a result the deliverance process was begun.
Earnestness could be defined as a heartfelt conviction that God is the only answer to our dilemma. Probably how it is expressed is as different as the people praying. But God knows when a seeker is completely given to crying out to God for an answer. And history has shown that when God gets that message, He acts! (Gordon Snider)
Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees,
And looks to that alone;
Laughs at impossibilities,
And cries, “It shall be done!” — Charles Wesley
Earnest prayer knows no impossibilities.
This devotional is the Monday, February 19 , 2018 entry of Opening the Word.