Then the Lord said, "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." Exodus 3:7
God was concerned about the Israelites. He saw their suffering, but it was not from a distance. It was up close and personal. He was intimately aware of the pain they experienced, and He could stand it no more.
Why do I sometimes fall into the modern belief that like Bette Midler's song God is simply watching everything from a distance? He is not that kind of God! He stands next to me at every moment. He was there when, as a child, I felt all alone. He is there when, as an adult, I feel all alone. Every twinge of physical pain, He feels with me. Every twinge of emotional pain, He suffers as well. He is THAT close!
Lord, I need Your arms about me. You are the God of all the universe, yet You choose to love me intimately. The stress of each day would destroy me if You were not here. I need to be close and personal with You today.