- 1 Peter 5:7

 

      I have always loved the way the Amplified Bible reads concerning this verse.  It says, "Casting the whole of your care-all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all-on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully."  There is nothing that can be more encouraging than to know that the Father cares for us so tenderly and so earnestly. 

      I remember many years ago when I first came to realize the Father's care.  What an amazing moment to find out that God really was interested in everything that concerned me.  From the very smallest of things to whatever it was that tried to loom over my mind, in his great compassion for me he was always present to care about every detail.

      For some folks that thought seems to be so distant.  They struggle with the nearness of God in their life.  To them, he is off somewhere in the far distant galaxy very hard to discover.  But most of that is because people have been taught wrong about who God is and what he is all about. The Psalmist David said he is "a very present help in a time of trouble" (Psa. 46:1).  In other words, he is very near to us and all we have to do is understand that he wants to do more concerning what weighs on our hearts than we could ever possibly do on our own.

      I remember several years back when I was sitting in a set of bleachers watching my son practice football.  I looked up into the sky and suddenly, I was struck with a sense of God's presence all around me.  It felt as if his eyes were piercing through that unseen realm and his attention was completely on me.  Down on the inside I heard the Holy Spirit pose a question to me. He asked, "What is the work of faith?"  I realized right then that as I was rolling around in my mind some deep thoughts over things that were concerning me that he was right there, present to help me.  I wouldn't say I was being anxious or worried, but as you know we so often do, I was trying to figure some things out in my own mind as to how these concerns were going to come to pass.  Before I knew it he answered his own question to me by saying, "The work of faith is simply to count me faithful."  That was it!  No struggle just trusting in who he is! 

      The thing that really hit me was the fact that he was letting me know he was already at work behind the scenes, and that by me counting on his faithfulness it would allow him to expedite the answer while providing me the peace I needed until it arrived.

      It amazes me how worked up we can get over things when all we have to do is roll our care over upon the Lord.  Deuteronomy chapter seven says, "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" (Deut. 7:9).  If you stop and think about it, our faith is totally dependent upon his faithfulness.  If he were unfaithful, then we wouldn't have a leg to stand on!  I mean, what good would it do to believe if the certainty of his actions were in question?

      I can't think of a more endearing scripture that awakens in me the need to trust in his faithfulness than the way the Amplified Bible renders Hebrews chapter thirteen, verse five. Especially the second part, where it reads, "For He (God) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not, in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake, nor let [you] down, [relax My hold on you]. Assuredly not!" How much more comforting can it get!  God will not, by any measure, relax his hold on you.  He knows your uprising and your down-sitting.  He knows your thoughts afar off, and all he asks is that you trust in his faithfulness.    

      If we will simply learn to roll our cares over on him our lives can be far less burdensome.   I think sometimes we complicate things because we haven't learned to let things go.  Our heavenly Father cares so very much for us and all he wants is for us to trust him. 

      If there is anything that has your concern; more importantly, your constant worries, doubts, fears, or anxious thoughts, then take a moment and roll it "once and for all" over on him.  Let go and let God take over!  And then rest in his faithfulness to work it all out for your good!