When was the last time you thought about just how much Jesus cares for you? Now, I’m not talking about the last time you thought briefly about God’s provision during a prayer offered before a meal; I mean really meditating on the message of the Scriptures regarding how much God cares for you.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
(1 Peter 5:7)
God instructs every believer to do some “cosmic casting” of the cares that are confounding us. And Scripture makes the reason for this clear: Because God cares for you!
Whatever care you may be facing today . . .
- Struggles in school
- Difficulties in your singleness
- Trouble in your marriage
- Prodigal child
- Challenges at work
- Financial shortfall
. . . the Word of God instructs you to do some cosmic casting in the direction of the Christ.
So how do we cast our cares on our God? We do it by earnestly praying for God to intervene on our behalf. We should never feel like we are “bothering” God with those prayers, because He delights in hearing from His children. No doubt you’ve heard these inspired words dozens of times: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV). You’ve heard God’s encouragement to come to Him with every care . . . but do you still feel like some of your cares are too trivial to bring before the Sovereign Lord of all the universe?
Let me encourage you to banish that notion! As a father of four, I can tell you that I delight in hearing from my children at all times, but especially when they are dealing with some difficulty in life. What father doesn’t want to help shoulder the burden of his child? And Scripture assures us that our Father in heaven delights even more in meeting us in our place of need! Jesus said, “If you, then, though you are evil [sinful], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11).
Let’s take a second look at 1 Peter 5:7 and see what it does not say: it does not say, “Cast some of your anxiety on God,” but rather, “Cast all your anxiety on Him.” Why? Because God cares for you! He cares for your small irritants and He cares for your dreadful fears too. God cares for you regarding every aspect of your life. Think about that for a moment! Can you think of any greater love than that the God of the universe—the God who created everything out of nothing, who sustains all things by the power of His word—cares enough for you to command you to cast your cares . . . all of them . . . upon Him?
So how well have you been doing with your cosmic casting of cares lately? Have you been dealing with the struggles of life in your own strength, rather than in the strength of the Almighty? Remember, with Omnipotence on your side, there is nothing you can cast His way that He will not carry on your behalf. What an incredible privilege we have been given, to be tenderly invited into the throne room of heaven to call upon the God of the universe!
Take a moment to consider some of your cares today. Why not cast them upon your God, who cares enough for you to remove your sins from you as far as the east is from the west . . . the God who cares so much for you that He gave His only begotten Son so that you would not die, but have everlasting life with Him?
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 