WHERE WE MAY AND SHOULD GO WITH OUR CARES

Dear Friends:

The Lord has taught us in the most perfect prayer to ask Him for our daily bread every day. This month the churches gather to ask the Lord for His blessing for the season which is before us. Herein it is shown that we are totally dependent on the Lord, Who is the Creator of the heaven and the earth. We may not deny that in God’s common goodness we receive many temporal blessings, wherein believers and unbelievers may take part. Still we may not forget that the true believers are the corks whereon the countries flow. Are we such a cork? I know, we don’t feel that in our hearts, but by the prayer which the Lord gives, the true believers become the corks of the country.

How necessary to ask the Lord for help and guidance; this cannot be missed. For each breath, for each meal, in the home, on the way, in the school, at work, our whole life is dependent on the Lord. Without Him we can do nothing. Is this our feeling also? Prayer Day is a confession of our dependency on the Lord in all things: to whom else shall we go? This was also the experience of the Apostle Peter. He was a man who received much grace of the Lord and he became a well known apostle. By his rich experience he could encourage the churches in tribulations. He emphasized that it is not a dishonor to be persecuted for Christ’s sake: yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. This should not alarm them too much, although it may be a difficult way, because the Lord is faithful for His children and will not forsake the work of His hands. Then He shows the best way to go with all our needs: “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”

The vicissitudes of life are many; here they are called, cares. The word care has different meanings. We know the good care of a father for his child, the care of a minister to his flock, the care of the sinner for his eternal welfare. It can also have an unfavorable meaning: a fearful care, a burden, which rends the heart and leaves no rest for us. Peter, as a spiritual physician, describes an excellent prescription: “casting all your care upon Him.”

When we cannot cope with our cares, then we have no rest anymore; it can even be that we must be hospitalized because of all the problems. Also God’s children do not always expect it from the Lord. We all have our cares for the future. The farmers fear it will be dry, and also are afraid for the cold; what will happen in the world? How will it be with unemployment? How will it be with our schools? Will the world conformity increase in our churches? We all have our cares, rich and poor, young and old, but they are often for one or the other of a different character. The Lord can use the temporal cares to open the eyes for our spiritual needs, think of Manassah in prison. When it pleases the Lord to show us what we are, sinners, then a great care is felt. Then we become concerned about the matters of eternity. It is a great privilege when such a concern is born under the administration of the Holy Spirit. That people also have temporal problems of course, because they are in this world, but the spiritual needs are the most important for them. Will the Lord show mercy to such a sinner as they are? Under the influence of Satan Christians become discouraged and full of cares, as David said: “I will be sorrowful for my sin.” They long for a holy life, but they have no strength against so many enemies. They feel like Paul: “O wretched creature that I am.”

Is this also your care? Is your answer “No”? Not concerned about these things? What a sad condition, because the Lord knows the inmost heart and will never bestow His favor upon such a walk; His justice requires Him to condemn us forever, without regeneration. But I am not able to convert myself, many say! This is one hundred percent true and should become our greatest care for the season before us; ask the Lord to make us concerned about this!

The fruit of the life of faith is concern about sin and fleeing with this need to the Lord. This care does not drive us away from God, but the more we learn our deep misery, the more the need is born for deliverance. Herein we may also say: “Casting all your care upon Him.”

There are so many cares to be remembered on prayer day, that only a small number can be mentioned. Of course it is not necessary to express all the needs, because the Lord knows all things. In every church, in every family, in the life of every person, there are cares. Sometimes I think that I am wrong. Why? Well, when the prayer day services are held, then in general, the attendance is fairly small. Still, when we talk about the daily needs and cares, then it seems that they sometimes degenerate in an immoderate concern; especially when we speak about business, employment, the family, the study of the children; that seems to be everything. When the spiritual needs are discussed then it becomes evident that this is a subject of secondary importance, although this is not admitted. This is of the utmost importance travelling to eternity, but it is not so important for us by nature, because we are dead in sin and trespasses, but do not realize it. How great is the need of our churches, whereof many are without a minister; should it not be desirable on this prayer day to ask the Lord to remember us again, although we do not deserve this at all, and that He give men for the ministry?

When we see so many unconverted and the great temptations wherein our young people find themselves from day to day, then it could be and should be every day prayer day. Where can we go with our cares? Here we receive a lovely invitation to come to the Lord. Oh, that the Lord would give the Spirit of prayer in the midst of us to come with all our cares before Him, Who is the Hearer of prayer: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify Me.” Although we deserve the opposite because of our sins, still the Lord has opened a way to draw nigh unto Him, and cast our cares upon Him. The Greek word for “cast” means, to roll off a heavy object. In and of ourselves we will not cast off our care upon Him, since we took care of ourselves in Paradise. How different it becomes in the life of a poor sinner, who sees his condemn worthiness, who loses the battle and lays down the weapons of enmity. He is not able to take care of himself anymore and supplicates that the Lord may take over. Unbelief is the greatest hindrance in this, but the Lord gives faith to his church in the moment of regeneration, which He strengthens at His time, to come to this exercise of faith: “Casting all your care upon Him.”

What a deliverance this does give. Does it mean a solution for all problems, an answer to all questions, deliverance from all cares? No, externally the circumstances probably are the same, but the presence of the Lord is then felt. We think of David, who was in trouble, Absalom came with his army, but when the Lord came over, then he could say: “There be many that say: Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.”

What will the future bring? I cannot tell, but when we may do as Peter said, then it will be well: “Casting all your care upon Him.” By faith it is possible to entrust ourselves to the Lord for time and for eternity. In such a blessed condition Paul was when he wrote to the Philippians: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Our text says: “For He careth for you.” We can trust the Lord: He is not as man, but the almighty God, Who is able and willing to help. His is the gold, the silver and the cattle on thousands of mountains. “For He careth for you.” This the Lord revealed, especially, in sending His beloved Son, Who came to seek and to save that which is lost. This is written to the encouragement of the church, not to distrust, but to trust in the Lord. Every day we make ourselves unworthy that the Lord should care for us. He does it for His own sake, for His Name’s sake. It is a great privilege when we may give ourselves in the care of the Lord. The poet says: As the eyes of the servants are on their Master, until He will show grace. Grace makes it without condition from our side. He fulfills His counsel in His providence: no hair of our head falls on the ground without His will, which we may say in general. The special care of the Lord is over His church, but that is not the same as always having prosperity. The world does not understand how a child of God can praise the Lord in the days of darkness, but by faith this is possible. The weight of adversity can often not be missed. Still the Lord does not forget the hope of His people and it is even possible for a child of God to sing in the face of death, when the Lord is on his side: “For He careth for you.” Was this not fulfilled when Daniel was in the den of lions, the young men in the oven, Steven stoned to death? That the Lord cares is possible because Christ bought His church, both soul and body, for time and eternity. Although we do not comprehend the ways of the Lord, He is righteous in all His ways, also in what He will send upon our path in the coming months. That we may not be concerned only about food and drink, health and prosperity, because then we have an empty life.

May we learn to be dependent on the Lord in every aspect of life and ask on this prayer day: ‘O Lord, care Thou for me’.

Norwich

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