What is Written

By Rachel Louis, Singapore

 

 Deuteronomy 26:6-9

But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labour. Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

As we begin a series of articles exploring how to love our neighbours, there is no greater example to learn from than God himself. God’s tremendous heart for the poor, the needy and the oppressed is evident throughout the bible. I truly believe that the more we get to know God, the greater our convictions about loving our neighbours will become. 

 

The God who sees

In these verses, Moses reminds the Israelites of how God rescued them from the oppression of the Egyptians, and a few things strike me. Firstly, God sees and hears oppression. There is so much pain and injustice in the world, and it is important to remember that God is very much aware of it; he hears these cries.

 

The God who cares

Next, Moses here is retelling the Israelites what God Himself told Moses in Exodus 3:7, where he says, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.’ Not only is God aware of the oppression that goes on, it concerns him and his heart goes out to them. This is a pattern we see throughout the bible; God cares about the marginalised and he constantly urges the Israelites to do the same. 

 

The God who acts

Finally, our God is a God of action. He does not stop at acknowledging and empathising with those in need. He acts powerfully, working through Moses to bring the Israelites out of slavery. 

 

Our turn

This passage in Deuteronomy is God’s way of reminding the Israelites of how much they had been given.  He in turn urges them to give their firstfruits back to the Lord, and also to set aside produce for the fatherless, widows and foreigners. It is a beautiful cycle of love and giving. The Israelites are brought out of slavery and in turn, expected to give to the needy amongst them. Likewise, God has given us much. Whose needs is he calling us to meet today?