What God Said

What God Said
Exodus 3: 7-12
Sis. Carolyn J. Satcher

When I read the scriptures for today’s devotional, I not only of the Israelites in bondage in Egypt, I also think of Africans brought over to America who were enslaved for over two hundred years as well as another 200 years we as Negroes not receiving our inalienable rights given to us by the Constitution of the United States of America. Example: being able to vote without taking a test that most Negroes couldn’t pass, not being able to live where we wanted to live, children not being able to go to schools and colleges of our choice, eat in restaurants, stay in hotels, go to parks and other places we wanted to go. These things held Negroes in bondage from the freedoms that we so rightly deserved.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Moses and the children of Israel in bondage in Egypt. God had seen the affliction of the Israelites in Egypt. He heard their cry to be relieved of being in bondage in Egypt. Negroes mostly in the south had this same cry heard by God.

Among some of those like Moses who heard the cry of negroes’ voices were Martin Luther King Jr. I am sure Dr. King asked the Lord like Moses did who am I that I should go and help save my people. God undoubtedly told him, like he told Moses, I’ll speak for you as well as give you others that will help you, like, Jesse Jackson, Andrew Young, Hosea Williams, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Fannie Lou Hammer and many other Negroes even Caucasians like Viola Liuzzo, folk who also cried out for Negroes and wanted to help.

God chose Moses’ brother Aaron and others like Joshua to help lead them out of bondage. There were many like Pharaoh in America that wanted to prevent Negroes from receiving their God given rights, like the Ku Klux Klan, many common folks who claimed to be loving Christians, even those in political office. The Lord was true to his promise as he led Dr. King to know that the Negro would not always remain under laws where only certain people were able to enjoy them.

Dr. King, before he was assassinated, talked about “I have been to the mountaintop” and that we Negroes as a people would see the promised land. We have seen the promised land here on earth because we have received our inalienable rights even though some men continue to want us to go back in bondage.

Prayer: Dear Lord thank you so much for hearing our cry to be freed from bondage. Thank you so much for sending leaders to lead the way and for those who gave their lives so that we might be free. As the saying goes you brought us from a mighty long way. Amen.