Last week I was asked to officiate at the dedication of a new care home facility. As I prepared for this task, I began to ponder on my own experiences of God’s gracious care in my life. I thought about what scripture has to say about it. And scripture is full of testimonies and declarations of God’s faithfulness in caring for his people, and even for creation in general. Today, I simply celebrate the God who cares.
The apostle Peter encourages us: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5.6–7 NIV). He was writing to believers who were facing the challenges of severe persecution. Yet his message was all about maintaining a winsome witness to the gospel despite the difficulties. This is not a call to fatalistic resignation to the circumstances, but an invitation to trust God and entrust oneself to his grace and wisdom. This we can do because he does care. We matter to him. So, we may “throw on him” whatever concerns us. He’ll take it.
Jesus himself offers: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11.28–29 NIV). He does admonish his followers not to be anxious about the cares of this world for he values us more than the things we care about (see Matthew 6.25-34 and Luke 12.22-32).
The truth is, his care extends even to those who don’t care about him! “This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty” (Matthew 5.45 The Message). This is the kind of care that causes the psalmist to marvel: “LORD, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?” (Psalm 144.3 NIV)
The gracious and caring heart of God did not stop with “general” provision. The greatest need of humanity was liberation from the clutches of sin and death. Our sinfulness, our rebellion against him and his authority, made us his enemies. And we deserve punishment. Yet, “at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly … God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5.6, 8 NIV). As a result, everyone is offered the chance to be reconciled to God (1 John 2.1-2). By God’s grace and through faith in Christ, God makes friends … no, family … of his enemies (Romans 5.10-11). We do not deserve any of this. We are not entitled to any of this. But God cares enough to offer a way out of our sorry condition.
Who cares? God cares.
—Keith Y. Jainga