FROM THE PASTOR'S PEN

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

Walking faithfully in the midst of trial and suffering is always a challenge this side of glory. Boy do we know that all too well! We go through our days knowing what is ahead at times, as well as being surprised with new issues at others. We may start the day feeling well prepared. We may end it feeling whipped, tired, discouraged, even overwhelmed to the point of tears. Yet, in the midst of all this, hear the the Apostle Peter's words- God cares for you. Do you truly believe this? Every day, in every way- the living, eternal God, your Creator and Redeemer loves and cares for you. He is with you and will give you aide.

What does the Apostle Peter teach us about what faithful walking in the midst of difficulty looks like? Here, Peter's instruction is twofold. First, he teaches us about our need to be clothed with humility and free of pride. For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (verse 5). Therefore, Peter issues the command, "humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God". We are to humble ourselves, recognizing God's almighty power to pull down the proud and exalt the humble. We are to do so, that in due time, He will lift us up. We are to do so, walking in submission to Him and one another. Further, we can be assured that as we walk in this manner, God will give more grace to us. His abundant grace will help us to persevere through all of our trials and circumstances. God's grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Praise the Lord!

Second, Peter says as we walk in this way, we are to cast all our anxieties, our cares, upon the Lord. Did you catch that? All of our cares and anxieties! He perfectly able and willing to help us in our weakness and times of need! He calls us to give our burdens to Him. We are to cast them upon Him. The Greek word for "casting", literally means "to throw upon". It's used one other place in the New Testament, in Luke 19:35, where the disciples cast their garments on the colt Jesus would ride on. So, we are to cast our anxieties on Christ, knowing and resting in His care.

My friends, I encourage you this week to walk humbly with your God and your brethren. As our Lord calls you to come to Him, indeed, come (Matthew 11:28). As He has called you to cast, cast! Don't hang on to your cares. Don't grasp them tightly, being miserable to the bitter end. Don't be distracted, discouraged, and crushed by them, when your loving Savior calls you to give them to Him. Go, cast, and leave them with Jesus. This is an important thing we need to remember. All that we cast upon Him needs to be left with Him. Sometimes, we tell ourselves we cast them, yet we're still hanging on. Other times, we tend to want to go back and pick them up again. Leave them with the Lord. Know, persevere, and find solace in His love and care as He bears your burdens! May God give us much grace to do so. Amen. ... See MoreSee Less

3 hours ago  ·  

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