Cast Away Cares

   In the dark of night, I feel His hands resting on me. He is holding me. He is leading. He is the Creator of the universe, and still He cares for my every need.

   "In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care." (Psalm 95:4-7)

   The same Great and Mighty One Who formed the very earth on which we walk is the God who shepherds us, the sheep of His flock. How wondrous is the Lord, that He loves us even though we are flesh and have fallen from righteousness.

   "I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?" (Psalm 8:3-4)

   The problems you are facing today may seem massive and overwhelming, but the Lord God Almighty is much stronger and more powerful than any storm in this life.

   "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm." (Mark 4:39)

   This troublesome storm that's wreaking havoc on your peace does not have more authority than your Father. Take the turmoil to Christ and don't just timidly hand it to Him with a doubt on your mind.

   Gather up all the hurts, the slimy shame, the grievous guilt, and the storms of strife, and catapult them off of you. Take the hammer of authority given to you by the Holy Spirit, and wham those worries right onto the Cross. Cast off the concerns!

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

   Not only does He care for you and will gladly bear the burdens for you, but He also will sustain you through the stormy troubles.

   "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22)

So take a stand against the anxiety, and confess boldly your freedom in Christ.

There is no battle too brutal for Him to fight for you:

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:14)

No storm is too strong that His voice can't quiet:

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed." (Psalm 107:28-29)

And not a single deed in your past is too dark to be forgiven by His great grace:

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus," (Ephesians 2:4-6)

   Hallelujah! We're saved and set free from the wrath we deserve due to our iniquities. He has secured for us a place in the Presence of the Lord throughout eternity. We are pressing onto the Heavenly Realms that are found in Jesus!

   His grace redeemed our human rank to be the righteousness of the Son. His love lavishes us in mercies anew each morning. With the rising sun comes rays of His glorious Light shining upon our faces.

   "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you." (Isaiah 60:1-2)

   Rejoice in the reality that God is for you. Whatever situation is tugging on you today, He can bear the load. He will carry you through the rough patch, and the blustering winds shan't harm your spirit. Home is in Heaven, and each day we are drawing nearer. Take heart, hold onto hope, and surrender the battles to God.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

   - The Introverted Evangelist