Character Education: God is Caring
 

Character Education: God is Caring

For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. Psalm 37:28-29

I used to think that God watched me from a distance, interested but unattached and unaffected, and my behavior betrayed my beliefs. I lived with constant anxiety and fear because I felt that I was defenseless against the struggles and challenges of this world.

But God’s Word says that I never need to be afraid; in fact, God tells us that many, many times throughout the Scriptures. Be encouraged by these truths today:

God is vigilant. We are always in His care. Psalm 121 tells us that “He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:3-4). In fact, the Bible says that He actively seeks to strengthen us: “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chron. 16:9a)

God is in the details. For me, this has proven to be one of the most comforting aspects of God’s character. His care is not only constant, but it is personalized for each of us. He knows every detail of our lives. In Luke 12, as he tells a crowd that they need not be afraid, Jesus says, “‘Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows’” (Luke 12:6-7). Isn’t it amazing to think that you are so valuable to the King of Kings?

God is warm and compassionate. At the beginning of my relationship with God, it was difficult for me to relate to Him as my Father; but because God is not restricted to a human gender, He can compare Himself to both fathers and mothers. In Matthew 23, Jesus says that He longs to gather the people of Jerusalem under His wing like a hen gathers her chicks. God expresses His boundless compassion by comparing it to a mother’s love for her newborn: “‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you’” (Isaiah 49:15). He even uses the imagery of a lullaby for His care, saying that He quiets us with His love and rejoices over us with singing (Zeph. 3:17).

Not only have I learned that God is willing and able to care for His children, but I can rejoice in the fact that He cares specifically for me.

Thank you, Father, for your priceless and unfailing love! I praise you for giving me refuge in the shadow of your wings (Ps. 36:7).

Jennifer