Weekend Rest: He Cares for You

1 Peter 5:6 "Casting all of your care upon Him for He careth for you."

My mom, always a ray of sunshine in my life, taught me this song when I was about 3 years old. 

"He careth for you, He careth for you, through sunshine and shadows,

He careth for you."

I can remember her strong alto voice filling me with comfort.  Such comfort. 

Through the years the words of this simple song have carried me.

Through sunshine. 

Through the laughter.

Through the births of my children.

Through blessings.

Through shadows.

Through storms.

Through miscarriages.

Through loss.

Through bitterness of soul.

Through hurt.

It's the comfort of knowing the "He" in the song.

Knowing that "He," God, cares for us, is amazing. That "He" loves us, unfathomable.  That "He" cared enough to die for us, uncomprehendable. That "He" wants to spend time with us, awe-inspiring.  Simple but deep and true, "He careth for you."

Loved ones forsake, friends abandon, family rejects...Jesus cares, through it all. He wants us to "CAST" our cares on Him.  He knows we are but fragile humans, weak in our own strength. 

In 1900, Frank Graeff wrote the following words.

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth and song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long?

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near?

Oh yes, He cares--I know He cares!
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

Rest assured this weekend, Jesus cares for YOU.

 "Who am I that a King would bleed and die for? Who am I that He would say not my will thine Lord? The answer I will never know, why He ever loved me so, and to an old rugged cross He'd go, who am I?"--Rusty Goodman, songwriter

Weekday Inspiration: Completeness

A complete life is the life of a child. 

A child of God never prays to be made

 aware of the fact that God answers prayer,

because he is so restfully certain that

God always answers prayer. --Oswald Chambers

I recently asked my 5 year old to pray for her Grandma who wasn't feeling well. 

We were driving in the car at the time. 

She emphatically replied, "Mom, I can't."

I said, "Why not?"

She said, "Because I need to kneel down and pray."

She usually prays anytime, anywhere, but this was a serious need,

and she felt like it required some kneeling on her part. 

I know her prayers worked. Her Grandma is feeling much better!

I came home last week from grocery shopping and my daughter met me at the door.

She said, "Mom, do you know what I was doing when you were gone?"

A little worried, I replied, "No what?"

She said, "I was walking around my room praying to Jesus."

Thank you Lord. 

In order to see God manifest in our lives, we must come to Him as a little child.

My friends may God bless you this week with completeness.

Weekend Rest: At His Feet

Push aside the attention stealers,

Silence the call of the marketplace to have and consume more,

Ignore for a moment the nagging of the daily routine,

Block out technology's constant flashing inbox, voicemails, alerts and urgencies,

Hide away...

Remember the story of the lady who found the treasure that couldn't be taken away from her.

Mary at Jesus' feet, listening, basking in His presence...

Find

a prayer closet,

a pillow for your knees,

a shady spot in a solitary place outdoors,

a quiet livingroom,

a porch,

a place alone with Jesus,

Find weekend rest at His feet.

Weekday Inspiration: Have Faith in God

It is not the greatness of my faith that moves mountains,

but my faith in the greatness of God.-- Author Unknown

"The Lord merely spoke, and the

heavens were created.

He breathed the word,

and all the stars were born,

He assigned the sea and it's boundaries and

 locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.

 Let the whole world fear the Lord,

 and let everyone stand in awe of him. 

For when he spoke, the world began!

It appeared at His command."

 Ps. 33:6 - 9 NLT