Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
When it comes to how God cares for us, the ways are numerous. Because God created us, He is the ultimate caregiver, and has proved this to us by sending His Son, the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Let us now look at three ways that the Scriptures declare God cares for us.
First, God cares for us as a mother comforts: “As one, whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:13). If anyone could comfort you when you were down and felt very low, your mother could. There’s something about the gentleness and tenderness that she has that is able to ease the pain, whether it be physical or mental. A mother has compassion and understands her children’s pain and is able to comfort them, even in their lowest state.
God is no different. He has compassion on us and can understand our pain when we are hurt because, after all, He is the One who made us. Therefore, we must remember that God is our ultimate source of comfort, and is able to lift us up when we are hurting. God does this mainly through His inspired word, which offers us comforting words that tell us He is watching over us and will give us a home with Him when this life is over if we follow Him. “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me” (Psalm 119:50).
Secondly, God cares for us as a shepherd: “As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day” (Ezekiel 34:12). The idea here is that a shepherd, since he cares for each and every sheep, is willing to do what it takes to bring his sheep together that have been scattered or lost. Luke 15:4-7 deals with this idea as well in the parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd cared about each and every sheep, and when one went astray, he went in search of that one sheep, because one sheep was just as important to him as the other ninety nine. God cares for us in this way, in that when we go astray God will try His best to bring us back to the fold. But this idea of a shepherd can be carried even further. Jesus speaks to His disciples in John 10:14-15 and says, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” The job of a shepherd not only involves finding sheep that go astray, but he also has the responsibility of protecting the sheep, and would give his life for them, if necessary. Jesus saw that this was necessary for us to be saved and therefore laid down His life for all of mankind and proved Himself to be the Good Shepherd.
Finally, God cares for us by lifting us up and rejoicing over us like a bridegroom rejoices over his bride: “For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee” (Isaiah 62:5). Besides the day one becomes a Christian, a wedding is the happiest day of a person’s life, in which he or she will be joined to the one that they love. As seen in the previous verse, God rejoices over us, His children, as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride on his wedding day. We are the crown of His creation, but this is not the only reason why God truly rejoices over us. More importantly, God can rejoice over us as His children because we have been forgiven of our sins and have been added to the church which is declared to be Jesus’ bride (Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 21:9). After the marriage, the husband seeks to please his wife, and to make her happy. If he is doing what he is supposed to do as a husband, he will provide for his wife, and will satisfy her needs.
God does this as well. Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-33, “Therefore take no thought, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Jesus says here that God knows our needs and will provide them for us. We need to do our part though, in being the Christian we need to be by seeking God first.
These are just three of the many ways that the scriptures declare God cares for you. He cares for you like a mother and will always be there to comfort you. He is like a shepherd, willing to protect you, and is willing to try and bring you back to the fold if you wander astray. Finally, He is like a bridegroom rejoicing, encouraging and lifting up his bride. He also provides for us as a husband provides for his wife. Just remember, that even in the hardest of times when you feel you are standing alone, there is always someone there to care for you. That someone happens to be the One that made you: the ultimate caregiver now and for all eternity to those who have walked the narrow way.
Jonathan Glaesemann