Divine Care!

Divine Care!
From Timeless Grace Gems
James Smith, 1865

"Casting all your care upon Him — for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

The Christian's life is very much made up of cares — and comforts.
Cares spring from earth — comfort comes from Heaven;
cares prove him to be a sinner — holy comforts prove him a believer;
cares flow in from a variety of quarters — true comfort from only one;
cares come naturally — but comforts come supernaturally.

We are sure to have cares — but shall we have comfort? This depends on God's grace — which gives it; and our faith — which receives it.

Cares must be cast on our God, or they will prove a burden too heavy for us — they will depress, bewilder, and make us wretched! But here is our comfort — we have always One to care for us; and the very one who of all others — we would wish to do so: "The LORD cares for you!"

God cares for WHOM? For you believer, who is born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the word of God which lives and abides forever. For you believer, who is a stranger and pilgrim on the earth, as all your fathers were. For you believer, who is persecuted by the world, and hated by all men — for your Savior's sake. For you believer, to whom Christ is precious, as he is to every one who really believes in him. For you believer, who is worried and harassed by Satan — who as a roaring lion goes about seeking whom he may devour. For you believer, who is placed in humble circumstances, being numbered with the poor of this world. For you believer, who is compassed about with so many cares, and who enjoys so few comforts; who is surprised at the fiery trials which try you, as though some strange thing had happened unto you. God's care extends to every Christian; the young and the aged, the weak and the strong, the poor and the wealthy, the doubting and the confident. Believer, He cares for you!

WHO is it that cares for us? It is the Lord Almighty — the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy! It is He whom the angels obey, the seraphim adore, and all creation glorifies!

It is the Lord — who is so great, that we have no adequate conception of His greatness!

It is He who is so good — that it is impossible fully to set forth His goodness!

It is He who is so glorious — that no sinner can see His face and live!

It is He who created all things with His Word!

It is He who governs all things by His wisdom!

It is He who upholds all things by His power!

It is He whose resources are infinite!

It is He whose compassion is exquisite!

It is He whose patience is without limit!

But though he is so exalted, so happy, and so unspeakably great — He cares for you! He is the one who . . .
enters into all the circumstances of His people,
is ever present with them, and
rejoices over them to do them good.

He cares for you — as base as you are.

He cares for you — as sinful as you are.

He cares for you — as depressed and discouraged as you are.

HE cares for YOU! He cares for you individually, and according to the circumstances in which you are placed.

WHAT does he do? He cares for you. He thinks of you. He watches over you. He sympathizes with you. He feels the deepest interest in you. He ever seeks your welfare. He infallibly secures your good. Your misery touches his heart; your needs lie open to his view; and your cries enter into his ears. He cares for you — more than for the proudest monarch on his throne, or the mightiest production of his power.

He cares for you, and his care is constant — it is not fitful or occasional, but ever the same.

He cares for you, and his care is paternal; it is the care of a father for his child, the child whom he tenderly loves, and for whose welfare he feels the deepest concern.

He cares for you, and his care is perpetual; he will never care for you less than he does at present; when old age weakens you, when needs pinch you, when death appears just before you — he will care for you as much as he did in youth, or as he does at this moment.

He cares for you, and his care is beneficial; it prevents innumerable evils, and secures the greatest possible amount of good. It is more advantageous than the care of the kindest father, though that father were monarch of the mightiest empire, and possessed unbounded wealth! The care of God is of more value than the care of all his creatures combined.

He cares for you, but his care is mysteriously exercised; it benefits us certainly — but secretly. It conceals itself behind the blessings it brings, and the evils it prevents.

He cares for you, and his care is special; it is not the care which he has for the beasts which perish, or the sinners who die under his frown. It is care that extends to the very hairs of your heads — which are all numbered; and to all the events and occurrences of life — however minute or commonplace.

Beloved, here is our comfort. We may lose the care of an earthly parent by death — but the Lord ever lives, and while he lives he cares for us! We may lose the care of a kind and earthly friend, through the malice of a foe or misrepresentations — but the Lord ever loves us, thoroughly knows us, and never ceases to care for us.

Here is the ground of our confidence for the future. We cannot put trust in a friend, or put confidence in a guide; we know not where we shall be, nor what we shall he, for we know not what a day may bring forth. But this we know, that God will care for us, and, caring for us, will fulfill his promises to us, and make all his goodness pass before us.

If God cares for us — then let us cast all our cares upon him; let us live in daily fellowship with him; let us seek all our supplies from him. If God cares for us — let us not dishonor him by nursing our doubts, or encouraging our fears — but let us trust in him at all times, for his word is true, his love is constant, and his knowledge is perfect. Let us "be anxious for nothing — but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our request be made known unto God; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6, 7).

Let us attend to our Savior's loving admonition, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own!" (Matthew 6:34).

We shall never be without a friend — however trying our circumstances may be; or without a guide — however perplexing or difficult our path. The care of God is more than the care of all the angelic multitudes; and if the care of God is not sufficient to preserve, supply, and satisfy us — then nothing is.

May the Lord help us to believe this precious truth, to realize it daily, that we may pass through the present world under the impression, "I am the object of God's tender, perfect, and ceaseless care!"

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