Cast your cares on the Lord - Psalm 55:22

"No strength of our own nor goodness we claim

Our trust is all thrown on Jesus' dear name.

In this our strong tower for safety we hide

The Lord is our power; the Lord will provide."

                                                                                                 John Newton

John Newton's hymn gives us the perfect picture of what it means to "cast" your problems, concerns, anxieties,  etc. on the Lord.  You throw them out - not bringing them back - with the hope of a sure return.  I recently watched a fisherman cast out his line - he wasn't just doing it for sport, he was hoping for dinner!

When we trust our good God with our hopes and our fears, He assures us in His word He is able to handle them because of His awesome and limitless power and His great love for us.  Why do we turn to so many other sources with our cares?  Why do we go over and over them...grazing on them as if they were grass for a cow. David in Psalm 73 knew God would hear him and rescue him. 

Do you really believe God is sufficient?   Do you really believe He cares for you?  Just as the fisherman threw out his line, let us "cast our cares on the Lord".   He is just waiting for us to ask!

For further study:  Psalm 8:1-4, 18:19, 20:7; Isaiah 30:18, Naham 1:7, John 21:1-6, Romans 15:13, 1 Timothy 6:17, Hebrews 2:6, 1 Peter 5:7.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word!

Love,

Holly



God is the strength of my heart... - Psalm 73:26

My brother-in-law is struggling with some potentially-serious heart issues.  The result is breathing difficulty, fluid buildup, weight loss, fatigue, weakness and pain.  A heart that is not healthy produces symptoms that need to be corrected.

What about a healthy heart?  How does one get a healthy heart?  God promises to completely change our hearts (Ezekiel 36:26)...to give us a heart of flesh from a heart of stone.  Only His indwelling Spirit can do the strengthening.  Our psalmist knew both kinds of hearts.  In v. 21-22, when his heart was grieved (unhealthy), his spirit was bitter (unhealthy) and he was senseless and ignorant (unhealthy).   But - good news! - v. 26 says: "...my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart...".  Oddly enough, the psalmist began to understand his issues when he "entered the sanctuary of God" (v. 17).

When God is the strength of my heart, some of my characteristics are being:

--loving (1 John 4:7)
--merciful (Micah 6:8)
--peaceloving (1 Cor. 7:15)
--humble (1 Peter 5:6)
--content (Hebrews 13:5)
--a servant (1 Peter 4:10)
--grateful (Hebrews 12:28-29)

Henri Nouwen says through Jesus, we are God's beloved, just like when God said of him "you are my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on you" (Mark 1:10-11).  Nouwen says:

                          "...he is being sent into the world so that
                           through him all people will discover and
                           claim their own belovedness."

Are you claiming your belovedness by allowing God to be the strength of your heart?  Spend time with Him in prayer and His word, and see if your heart doesn't grow stronger!

For further study:  Exodus 15:2, 2 Samuel 22:33, 2 Chronicles 16:9, Psalm 28:7, Isaiah 41:10, Ephesians 3:16, Philippians 4:13

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word!

Love,
Holly