Tag Archives: cares

Carefree in our Father’s Presence

09 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 91, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 91

(Verses 1-8)
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD,
“He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked (NIV).

Reflection
Trust is a fascinating concept and it is expressed in various forms. In his book entitled, The Silver Lining, the early twentieth century Christian writer J.H. Jowett makes this observation about trust:

2018-02-05 Liz Kranz

Photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

It is, perhaps, helpful to remember that the word which is here translated “trust” is elsewhere in the Old Testament translated “careless.” “Be careless in the Lord!” Instead of carrying a load of care, let care be absent! It is the carelessness of little children running about the house in the assurance of their father’s providence and love. It is the singing disposition that leaves something for the parent to do. Assume that He is working as well as thyself, and working even when things appear to be adverse. 

Do you have a childlike trust and carelessness in the Lord? Are you carefree because you know the Lord cares for you? That’s the lifestyle that Psalm 91 calls us to. If I am dwelling in the shelter of the Most High and resting in the shadow of the Almighty, I have nothing to fear. I can go about my life with a carefree mindset, because the Almighty cares for me. He has me covered. The psalmist says just that: He [the LORD] will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

We live in a world where fear is contagious. Will there be another terrorist attack, a stock market collapse, a recession? Will my marriage survive—my children turn out okay? The child of God lives in a carefree, worry-free, safe zone. Do you trust the Almighty?

Response: LORD God, you are my shelter in a stormy world. I am so safe—so very safe—when I am with you. I want to live each day in the confidence that you care for me as a loving Father cares for His dear child. Amen.

Your Turn: If you truly know the loving nature of God, trust should come easily. Does it for you?

Are you carrying or casting your cares?

23 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by in Psalm 55, Psalms

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Reading:                                           Psalm 55

 (Verses 16-23)

As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.

 God, who is enthroned from of old,
who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.

My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.
His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous be shaken.
But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days.

But as for me, I trust in you (NIV).

Reflection

The phone call wasn’t good news. After our 7,000 km trip to western Canada an oil change was in order, and my wife volunteered to take our car to have that service done. She called back with the news that the car needed new tires and there was a leak in the front end suspension system. Suddenly a routine oil change turned into a major expense, and this all comes so soon after the costs for our trip. Consequently, these words from Psalm 55 have added meaning for me this morning: Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you.

Lake Placid, NY -- David Kitz

Lake Placid, NY — David Kitz

These are minor troubles in the sight of God. He is more than willing to carry them. Speaking prophetically David invites us to cast our cares on the LORD. That includes unexpected bills and expenses.

One of my favorite leisure time activities is skipping rocks across the water. There’s something unnatural about a stone dancing across the water. Stones are supposed to sink, not hop across the waves. But when they are cast with enough force and with the right technique they do the impossible. They dance across the water.

Notice there is a promise attached to those cares that we cast on the LORD. This is the LORD’s promise: He will sustain you. He will sustain us—sustain us in the midst of the impossible. Until like that dancing rock, we reach the other side.

Response: LORD God, I cast my worries and cares on you. I am so thankful that you care about the details of my life. With the psalmist, David, I can say, “But as for me, I trust in you.” Amen.

Your Turn: Do you have cares that you need to cast onto the LORD today?