So God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
(Exodus 2:24 NIV)
When the Bible says God “remembered,” it doesn’t mean He forgot all about it and He just now thought of it again. Scripture uses this word to show the moment that God shifts from making a promise to doing something about it. In Exodus 2:24, the Israelites are at their lowest point, groaning under brutal slavery in Egypt. Their cries go up, and the text tells us that God heard and God remembered. Remembering is the turning point. From that point on, everything starts to change.
The Hebrew word here is zakar (זָכַר), pronounced zah-KAR. It’s an active, intentional remembrance that always leads to action. When God zakars, He steps in. His remembering is always tied to being faithful and keeping his word.
When God speaks, it’s not always with audible words. Sometimes He “speaks” by acting on promises He made long ago. In Exodus, God doesn’t give Israel a long explanation about what’s happening to them. He simply gets to work, calling Moses, challenging Pharaoh, and eventually freeing His people. God’s remembering kicks into action.
Exodus 2:24 shows us that God’s plans are always anchored in covenant. God remembers what He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and now, hundreds of years later, those promises still drive what He does. The passing of time doesn’t make God’s commitments fade.
The Israelites couldn’t yet see the plagues, the parted Red Sea, or the long journey ahead. All they had was the assurance that God had heard their cries. His remembering told them their pain mattered and their story hadn’t been forgotten.
If you’re waiting to hear from God, this verse brings comfort. God’s silence isn’t the same as God being gone. Delay isn’t the same as being ignored. You may feel forgotten, but God’s remembering is quietly at work. His timing is determined by His faithfulness, not our impatience.
Zakar also shapes how we live as God’s people. The Bible repeatedly calls us to remember. Not just to think back, but to let what God has done change how we act. Remembering the exodus was supposed to shape Israel’s worship, their choices, and their care for others. God’s rescue wasn’t meant to be a distant fact; it was meant to guide their everyday life. As we remember what God has done for us through Jesus’ sacrifice, it should do the same.
Today, God still remembers. He stays true to his promises, even when the answer takes longer than we’d like. When we wonder if God notices or cares, Exodus reminds us that God always remembers, and He will always back up that remembrance with action.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for being a God who hears our cries and remembers Your promises. Help us to trust that Your remembering is active, even when we can’t see the next step. Remind us of what You’ve already done, and let that shape how we live today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day