#god cares

[thewordfortheday]

Luke 12:24 And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds!

The truth is that God is even watching over the birds of the air—so how much more is He watching over you? Look at the birds of the air, and yet not one of them is forgotten by God. (Luke 12:6). If God is concerned and cares about the needs of this small, ever common creature, how much more will God notice and take care of the unique needs of His own child, who is made in His very image?

Therefore, we truly don’t need to worry about our life, what we will eat, or about our body and what we will wear. We can trust that our God is faithful, and He will take care of every need we face.

[godoverus]

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Sleep Well, Sweet Soul 💔

This weekend I felt myself missing Queen Elizabeth so I quickly searched for a few funny gifs to cheer myself up and then saved this post to my drafts folder.

I cannot explain why I (an American) was suddenly feeling down about Elizabeth's absence. She was only a human being, but she just seemed to do it so well. She was particularly good at allowing her light to shine in the darkness, and she held such sincere affection for her people. After today's massacre, I'm reminded of how important it is to take our feelings before God in prayer. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is simply prompting us to pray, to intercede on behalf others. Tonight I added songs by JJ Heller (Sleep Well, Sweet Soul) which I hope will bring you some comfort.

I miss Queen Elizabeth. I miss her presence on this side of heaven.💔👑

[momentsbeforemass]

Cares

Cares are things. Heavy things.

And there’s a question about cares baked into today’s Psalm.

What are you carrying around?

If you’re like me, the honest answer is something like “more than I want to.”

All of us have cares. Whether it’s cares from our past (and every one of us has them). Or the cares of the present. Or cares of the future.

Those are just our basic cares. The ones that are always with us. They create a basic level of weight that we carry around.

And even if we don’t notice them because they’re in the background, it still takes energy to carry them around.

Which means it should be no surprise that the hard stuff of life – relationship problems, family, health, finances, addictions – and even the cares of daily life can feel like they weigh so much more. Can hit us so much harder.

Because you and I are already weighed down with all of our background cares.

Before any of those other cares get thrown on top of what we’re already carrying.

With all of those cares weighing down on us, it’s tempting to just dump it all. Drop all your cares and run away from them.

I know someone who tries to do just that.

Every few months, when it all gets to be too much for them at work, they bail out.

They quit their job. Reinvent themselves with a new employer or in a new line of work. Then find a new job.

Sometimes it lasts a few months, sometimes they make it almost a year.

But when it all gets to be too much for them, they quit their job. Reinvent themselves with a new employer or in a new line of work. Then find a new job.

Rinse and repeat.

Each time it happens, we talk about it. And each time I hear the same things. When the dust settles, they swapped all of the things they couldn’t stand about their old job for the new job’s version of the same stuff.

Nothing ever seems to change for them.

Because dropping your cares and running away from them is an illusion.

It’s not just a job thing. The same thing holds true for every source of cares in our lives. Whether it’s relationships, family, friends, health, addiction, finances, or any other source of cares in our lives.

Your cares follow you. Because no matter where you go. Or what you change. You can’t get away from you.

And when you try to carry your cares alone, your cares will make you into your own worst problem.

Here’s what does work. Not carrying them alone. Not even trying to carry them alone.

And it starts with the most important relationship in your life. Your relationship with God.

How does that figure into our cares?

One of the most subtle forms of pride is the unwillingness to get help. Even our unwillingness to admit that we need help. No matter how badly, how obviously we need it. 

One of the hardest parts of our relationship of God is letting go of our pride. Even our perverse, self-injuring pride in handling our cares alone.

This is what’s behind the Psalmist’s advice to “Cast your cares upon the Lord, and He will support you.”

The help you and I need each day to bear the weight of our cares is ready and waiting. All for the asking.

Whatever you are carrying, know that you were never meant to carry it alone.

God is waiting to support you, to do it with you. If you’ll let Him.

Today’s Readings

[generouspersonamano]

[4him-iwrite]

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

"The God who created, names and numbers the stars in the heavens also numbers the hairs of my head. He pays attention to very big things and to very small ones. What matters to me matters to Him, and that changes my life." - Elisabeth Elliot

[troubledontlast1]

“It’s handled.”- God

[sundaynightservice]

When love is broken,

smashed on the floor, thrown away,

sadness leads the way,

purpose is completely lost,

God is a prayer away.

.

D W Eldred

[tinyshe]

from the comment section: "This song made me decide to finally get help. I've been drinking since I was 15, I'm now in my 50s. The line that gets me is it ain't gonna happen tonight and then I'll be wishing I was sober. I can't speak for all alcoholics but I have always assumed I can stop anytime I want but that obviously hasn't worked. Thanks for this song!"

if this is the sign you have been waiting for ... take the first step now towards a better and sober life.

[debthelibrarian]

"Hagar, at the end of herself, obeyed God".

[stil-lindigo]

they're burning ballots in the US now btw. in case you wanted to know where things are at.

Edit: to clarify, locations mentioned are Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon. This news story does not involve Canada.

Important info: Context: Dropbox location was Fisher's Landing Transit Center near Southeast 162nd Avenue Hundreds of ballots lost, voters should contact the Clark Auditor ASAP Clark Auditor contact info: clark.wa.gov/auditor (Washington voters) can confirm your ballot was received on: vote.wa.gov (Oregon voters) can confirm your ballot was received on: sos.oregon.gov General Ballot tracker: voteamerica.org/ballot-tracker

[godoverus]

[kochei0]

I turn to Ares.

Thanks to Tyler Miles Lockett who allowed me to draw inspiration from his ARES piece for page 2! Look at his etsy page it's SICK

⚔️ If you want to read some queer retelling of arturian legends have a look at my webtoon

[momentsbeforemass]

What are you holding onto?

What we hold onto matters. Because you and I can only carry so much.

Even though we often act like there’s no limit to what we can carry.

The truth is that everything we pick up, everything we hold onto reduces our capacity to carry other things.

When I’m carrying my cat (who has suddenly decided that he is incapable of movement and is now a limp noodle), I can’t also pick up my dog (who has no idea that he weighs 75 pounds) just because he saw the cat and decided that he wants to be carried as well.

Sorry. I can only carry so much.

That’s not just true for goofy house pets. It’s true for life in general.

Whether we’re talking about pets or groceries, worries or cares, you and I can only carry so much.

And if our hands are full of worries and cares, problems and anxieties, you and I won’t have the capacity to carry other things.

Including things we might actually want (as opposed to worries and cares). Including the good stuff. Like God’s best for our lives.

What works against you and me is habit. We get in a habit of picking stuff up and carrying it around. Just because it wants us to pick it up and carry it around.

Like my limp noodle cat. Who wants to be carried.

But who will also make a miraculous recovery and start doing unnecessary parkour off the top of the couch - if I don’t pick him up.

What you and I need to remember is that we have a choice. Just because something wants you to pick it up and carry it around doesn’t mean you have to.

I’m not saying don’t deal with your worries and cares, your problems and anxieties.

But there’s a big difference between dealing with your worries and cares - and picking them up and carrying them around like a beloved pet.

So, how do you do that?

First, know that you have a choice. Then know that you have help.

You don’t have to deal with your worries and cares (or even carry them around) by yourself.

In fact, you shouldn’t. Because holding onto your worries and cares, your problems and anxieties is one of the subtlest forms of the dreary old sin of pride.

And there is nothing so effective at separating you and me from the ones who love us best (including God) like pride. It does that by making sure that our hands are full, that we have no room for the good that anyone would do for us (including God).

Instead, take the help offered by the One who loves you best.

No matter what it is. No matter what wants you to pick it up and carry it around.

God isn’t just waiting to help you. God wants to help you.

Not someday, when you’ve got it all figured out. But right now, when you don’t.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”

Today’s Readings

[haunted-xander]

If you skip a meal Senshi will materialize next to you w/ food at the ready