Cast Your Care on God
It is important for us all to feel cared for. But neglect and indifference are apparent in so many lives-those of the homeless, the destitute, and the lonely; the elderly, sometimes sick and forgotten; abused and neglected children. Just to begin to help people like these stretches human resources beyond their capacity.
There's a kind of caring, however, that is ever present and without limit. The source of such total care is found only in God. God is Love. This Love is infinite and all-powerful. It is subject to neither the ups and downs of human circumstances nor the limitations of material resources. There is never a moment when God's love is not available to care for us, and this promise includes you.
The Scriptures verify the power of God. The book of Exodus shows how the children of Israel were cared for during years of wandering in the wilderness. They were provided with food and water in the desert. There are many examples of how Christ Jesus demonstrated the availability of God to care for all human needs. In one instance he turned to God to feed five thousand people when only five loaves of bread and two fish were at hand. And they were fed; the food was multiplied (see Matthew 14:14-21). Jesus' knowledge of God as a loving Father allowed for no doubt that everyone would be provided for.
This acknowledgment of God as our Father, along with trust that our relationship with Him is secure, is key to understanding God's ever-present care for us. It removes the doubt and fear that limit us. We have a definite role to play in recognizing this union with God. The Bible speaks of "casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (I Peter 5:7).
I once had no alternative but to cast my care on God. I was living in another country and found myself both without employment and in need of accommodation. I felt very alone and desperate. There was no one I could turn to for help.
One day after a long search for a job, I realized that the fear of being destitute was overwhelming me. At this point I turned to God. All my own efforts had proved fruitless.
I began to recall the times in my life when the awareness of God's care for me had brought healing-when prayer had restored my crushed fingers to wholeness and had healed a broken jaw perfectly. Thinking of those experiences provided me with evidence of His power. I reasoned that if God's love had been with me in those previous times, it must be with me right then. God is infinite good. His goodness never fluctuates. I saw that in fact I couldn't have any more love or support than I had right at that moment. I could trust God to show me answers to my problems. At that point my fear began to disappear, and I felt peaceful.
As I thought in this way, I remembered friends I had met on my journey to that country. The idea came to contact them. Hearing of my situation, they immediately offered to share their apartment with me. They showed me much love. A week later I found full-time employment. God had indeed cared for me in this time of searching, much as He cared for the children of Israel. This has had a lasting effect; from that time forward, I have never again felt aloneness, and my employment has been constant.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, a book by the woman who discovered Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, says, "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need" (p. 494). Here is a great promise.
No matter what the human need-whether it is for physical healing, income, housing, courage, or companionship-God's love for each of us is a practical presence. There is never a time when anyone can be left out of God's care. This is a great truth that Jesus proved. And as Christian Science shows, God's love protects and heals us when we turn to Him and cast all our care on Him.
In a weekly magazine, the Christian Science Sentinel, you can read more about how to turn to God.
