CAST YOUR CARES ON THE LORD

MONDAY 24 OCTOBER 2022

The best thing we can do for ourselves is to cast our cares on the Lord because He cares for us. The word "cares" simply suggests worries and desires of this life which can weigh the heart down. "Casting your cares on the Lord" is committing all to a foundation which never can be moved because it would preserve and sustain you as well as empower you to take possession of the inheritance of the saints in light.

Reference: Psalm 55:22 New International Version (NIV) "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken."

It's in God's nature and attributes to care for His children. For this reason, God is manifesting Himself as our friend in need according to today's verse. This is the true revelation of divine grace and an invitation to cling to the Lord, no matter the concerns, anxiety and cares. God's care is a mystery that goes deep into the interior of His purposes. You don't experience it by allowing yourself to be engulfed by your cares and it's not a new message but more like the oldest message, considering the Garden of Eden. Remember that in the very beginning, Adam had no reason to entertain cares and worries because God so much cared for him. The Bible says, "Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food...." (Genesis 2:7-9 NKJV).

Beloved, just like Adam, God planned for your arrival in Christ ahead of time. God planned for us, the new creation, by sending Christ to die for us, thereby giving us everything. This is the reason for this instruction. Its just God being determined to give us the best of Himself, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The unbelieving experts of our day may not have a clue about what this divine and eternal care is all about. But God wants every Christian who truly belongs to Christ, has love and trust for God and is being built in Christ, to live the God-planned and designed life, owing to the finished work of Christ on the cross.

When we learn to stick to Christ by our faith and love, by communion and prayer and by practical conformity to His image, we will easily exercise the ability to cast all our cares on Him as the Lord and He will sustain us. Why do we do that? It's because He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. The Bible says, "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3 NLT). This Scripture clearly describes the way God cares for us. He has already given us everything we need for living a life of godliness. All that is expected of us is to receive them by getting to know Him better. Simply put, you can't trust or cast all your cares on somebody you don't really know. Here, "to know" denotes the Greek word, "Ginosko" which implies to perceive and understand God in a relational sense. So as we get to know the Lord in an intimate, spiritual sense, we will begin to experience His care without worry and anxiety.

How can we effectively cast our cares on the Lord? Firstly, Psalm 37:4 (NIV) says, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." In other words, love God and do what He says, and He will take care of your desires. Secondly, Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (NKJV). Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Matthew 6:33; Luke 21:34-35; 1 Peter 5:7; Luke 12:22-34.

Exuberant Declaration: Daily, I rejoice in the privilege and grace of knowing God as my Father and Shepherd. Therefore, I cast all my cares upon Him because He cares for me. By being constantly shaped by the Word, I'm conditioned to be rich in grace and faith and as a heir of the kingdom of God, I walk in all the blessings associated with my salvation in Christ without worry and anxiety. Blessed be God!