Who is this God to whom we belong? God, the sovereign of the universe, enthroned in heaven upon the cherubim, is not a distant God. This God listens to us and hears our cries.

This sovereign God is present to the people of Israel, calling Moses and Aaron to free the people from captivity in Egypt, leading them into the wilderness, and guiding them in the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Even though they grumble and complain and doubt, the Holy One remains faithful to them, leading them to the Promised Land.

In these days of turmoil in our world, it often seems that no one is listening. Who will comfort us when all around us seems to be turned upside down? Who will guide us when we do not know the way to go? Who will listen to our cries of sadness, grief, and despair?

The God to whom we belong hears our cries. God hears the moans of a wounded world in the turmoil of a warming planet. God hears the keening of those who have lost loved ones in disasters, in war, in acts of terrorism, in instances of gun violence. God hears the anger and pain of the victims of sexual assault and discrimination. God hears the prayers of those who suffer because of the color of their skin, the country in which they were born, or their immigration status. God hears the despair of LGBTQ youth who struggle, wondering if it is worth continuing in this world.

God hears the cries of our hearts. Some of these desires we can name. And some of these yearnings are hidden even from ourselves. God hears our cries, spoken and unspoken, known and unknown.