“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”– 1 Peter 5:6,7
I have many wonderful memories of fishing with my grandma.
During my childhood, she and my great-uncle Manny would load up his battered rusty Chevette with fishing gear and we’d drive down the country road to a nearby lake. Once the row boat was in the water, Manny would take the controls and steer out into the lake. As the motor quietly hummed, we’d snake around weed beds and logs until we reached our destination. We often went after dinner when the sun was dipping down toward the horizon, the barn swallows were warbling above catching insects, and the water was like glass, shimmering with the reflected sun. We’d anchor the boat near a large patch of weeds and settle down quietly to fish.
Moments later, you could hear the splash of a fish rolling on the surface, and our heads would whip around toward the sound. We quickly clipped our rubber worms in place, adjusted our line tension, and began casting toward the sound. Our lines would whir away from the boat, often hitting their target (open water near weeds), or if we were unlucky, landing in the dreaded lily pads. Hours would pass as we continuously trolled our lines, casted out, reeled in, removed unwanted weeds. With luck we’d we get a strike, and the adrenaline would start pumping as we jerked the line and worked a largemouth bass or pike toward our boat. It was pure fun!
I am reminded of fishing when I read this verse. We are invited to cast all our cares onto God because He cares for us. I can imagine taking a bucket of my cares, a steamy mess, and throwing them out toward God. And the writer invites us to throw “all” our cares, not just a few of them. The beauty of throwing our cares to God, unlike fishing, is that we don’t have to reel them back in. They go out to God, they stay there. Unless of course, we feel the need to reel them back in. I do that sometimes. Then I have to cast them away again.
What cares or anxieties are you struggling with today? I have a few, how about you? Pray them out to God, name them one by one. That often helps. Then cast them to God, and release them. Don’t reel them back in. Trust in His promise that He cares for you and will take your cares on Himself. And relax in His peace, knowing He’s got this!
Prayer–“Caring God, thank you for inviting me to cast my cares and anxieties onto you. I have many that I can’t seem to get rid of. Give me a humble heart and the faith to give them up to you, knowing you will take care of them for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
Prayer For All Days 