Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

He Cares

The world can be a cruel place. Sin took the joyful heart of peace and harmony away when Adam and Eve hid in fear at the presence of God. After being cast out of the garden, Adam and Eve faced an uncertain world as the only two people on earth. It would take years for the world population to grow, and again, sin destroyed the world. In the days of Noah, God killed every human being except the eight who were in the ark. The flood did not solve the ‘sin problem’, but it did establish a lesson that God cares about His creation. His care was his disappointment that humanity had become so vile and wicked. That same care instructed Noah to build an ark for the saving of his household. In a dark world overcome by sin, Noah knew that God cared for him.

There has never been a nation like Israel. God raised His people from the heritage of Abraham to be His own chosen people, a holy nation, a peculiar people devoted to Him alone. He did not forget them when they suffered in Egypt. He delivered them from themselves in the wilderness, and He raised up a great nation so the world could see His glory. God cared for the Hebrews to deliver them from Egypt. During the forty years of wilderness wanderings, the people never lacked for food and clothing. Except for their rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea, Israel defeated all the enemies that came against the people of God because God cared for them.

Joshua took the nation of Israel into Canaan and conquered the land in about seven years. God continually showed His power to the Israelites because He wanted them to know He cared for them. He blessed them and delivered them from their enemies. It was Israel who turned away from God; not God who turned away from Israel. God would reject the nation of Israel because they turned away from Him, but God still cared for them. He sent His only begotten Son into the world to lead His people back to Him. They killed Jesus, but God still cared for them. Jesus prayed for the Father to forgive those who were killing Him.

The central theme of the gospel is that God cares for the world. Jesus is the expression of His care. There is no greater love than for a man to give his life for another. God gave His Son to die to show how much He cared for a world filled with sin and rebellion. When men seek peace and happiness from human wisdom, they fail. There can be no joy if a man refuses to humble himself before God and seek His love and counsel. Man is not the author of his salvation. There is nothing in the mind of man that can create a world of happiness apart from God. True peace comes only when the heart of man humbles itself under the mighty hand of God.

When a man humbles himself, he is exalted before the presence of God. Humility requires giving everything to God and letting Him guide the heart, soul, and mind. It seems counterintuitive to become low to rise up, but humility is the beginning character of being exalted. The only way to be accepted by God is to acknowledge how great the Lord is and to submit the soul to the will of the Father. Then, and only then, will one learn how much God cares for him. The care of God is the expression of God to those who humble themselves before Him. He cares and can provide everything the soul needs. God will punish those who reject Him, but He will embrace near to His heart those who humble themselves and obey Him – because He cares for them.

The message is clear: God cares for you. He has provided everything you need to find joy and peace. Jesus Christ is the divine revelation of God’s care. There is no other place you will find the answers to life and death. The Bible is the mind of God revealed to man to know how much God cares for them. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. He will exalt you when you cast all your cares upon Him. Can you trust God? You can trust God because He cares for you like no other.