Cast Your Cares Upon Him

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ October 4, 2024 ♦ 1 Comment

(NIV) 1 Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

I have always loved 1 Pe 5:7, but if we pluck that one verse out of this section then we are missing the full impact of these scriptures. It is so reassuring to have the promise that we can and should give our anxieties and cares to Jesus. Why? Because He cares for us. But Peter says we should humble ourselves before God, and He will then lift us up.

Humility. We’ve talked about this before. Why is pride such a major issue? I have always held the belief that pride was the original sin. It was pride that caused Lucifer to oppose God, starting a war in Heaven that still has implications today. It was pride that caused Adam and Eve to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit, and it is pride that continues in the 21^st Century to pull us away from God.

Peter warns that the devil is always on the lookout for those he can devour. He says the devil is like a roaring lion, but it would be a mistake to view Christ followers as victims , cowering in fear. We are not victims, but we are strong in the Lord, empowered by the Holy Spirit! Stand firm and resist. How? Pray, read the Word, and stay connected with other believers because our help truly is in the Lord and He is so faithful.

May we remain humble in spirit, but bold in our faith, giving encouragement to our fellow believers and always, always know and believe that God is our very present help in time of need.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.