Cast!

Cast!

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Peter, who writes here, would know a lot about the focus of today's extract. He was the worrier-in-chief of the disciples, always fretting about image and impressions. He was part of the inner caucus of disciples, so he knew a bit about the mind of Jesus. One moment, he was inspired to declare those immortal words: "You are the Christ, the son of the Living God" and almost the next moment, he was trying to pull down God's eternal plan of salvation for all men by trying to stop Jesus from going to the cross. One moment, he was swearing that he would never deny Jesus; a few hours later, he was calling down curses on himself, saying he never knew Jesus. If not for mercy, what would the end of Peter be? I can say the same about myself too. 

So, Peter starts by asking me to cast all my anxiety on Jesus. One good definition of 'cast' is: 'to throw or set aside; discard or reject; dismiss. Look at those words again: it is a state where I have come to realise that worry and fretting lead to no good outcomes. It is pointless to worry about things you can't control but I can surrender the reins of the worry to the One who asks me to bring them. He knows I can't help but worry sometimes, but he also asks me to hand them over to him when they come. I cannot claim to believe in Jesus, and then try to work out stuff by my own strength. I cannot claim Jesus is my exclusive Lord and Saviour when there are other 'viable' concerns that have taken over my heart and are dictating terms, conditions, pursuits and priorities. 

I note the words: 'ALL your anxiety' and I believe they are laid out like this for a reason. How can I trust God completely and yet not be able to lay all my burdens down at his feet? Is there anything I have heard that God cannot do? Have I ever seen him fail? Has he told me that he has reached his full capacity and does not have room to help me anymore? If none of these has happened, then I have no basis for fear and anxiety. Anxiety cripples, and does not allow a man see all that God intends. The One I am asked to cast all my cares on is called by different names, including the true burden giver and bearer. He wants to give me his own kind of burden, which is easy and light, and he wants to take away the burden of the devil, which kills. 

He gives burdens, supplies the strength I need to carry them, and then also helps bear my burdens. History and precedence show that God has been in the business of helping right from the Garden of Eden. He has not changed, and his nature is such that changing his principles is impossible. He does not change like shifting shadows; if he says he is able to do a thing, he is staking his name, reputation and character on that thing. God does not do shame or lies, so I can rest assured that he has got my back. He can be trusted; he is everlasting, and as long as burdens have expiry dates, they can't outlast him. God's time of favour is here.