"DOES JESUS CARE?"

"Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 

1 Peter 5:7

The past two months have been challenging and painful for us.  This is the year of the tear.  In less than two months, we have painfully come face to face with the loss of three loved ones, my father, my mother-in-law, and my cousin, who was like a brother to me.  The song "Does Jesus Care" hits home because it expresses our Lord’s care for us during our times of pain, heavy burdens, and cares.

"For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too."  (2 Corinthians 1:5)

In times of sadness, heartache, darkness, and the loss of loved ones, we can rest in the assurance that our Lord Jesus cares for us.  He loves and cares for us His children and asks us to cast our burdens on Him.

 "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved."  (Psa. 55:22)  

He has promised us that He will give us rest from the cares of this life, and we must believe and trust Him (Matt. 11:28-30).  When our hearts are filled with pain, we can confidently look to God for comfort (2 Cor. 1:5).  Thus the question is, Does Jesus care?

Our Lord Jesus also manifests His care toward us during our times of dread and fear.  And though we may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we have nothing to fear because He is with us (Psa. 23:4).  God has given us the spirit of power, not of fear ( 2 Tim. 1:7).  We need not live in fear, for perfect love casts out fear ( 1 Jn. 4:18).

 "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."  (2 Tim. 1:7)

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."  (1 John 4:18)

Our Lord and Savior also cares for us amid our times of temptation and grief. Although no one can say we have no sin, we indeed fail at times to resist some temptation strong.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."  (1 John 1:8)

Nevertheless, we must have a tender heart and be compelled to grieve or mourn for our sins.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."  (Matt. 5:4)  

We must weep with godly sorrow every time we fail our Lord and sin against Him.  Our sin must cause our tears to flow all night long.

"O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.  2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.  3 My soul also is greatly troubled.  But you, O LORD—how long?  4 Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.  5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?  6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping."  (Psalm 6:1-6)

Since our Lord Jesus experienced sadness at the loss of a dear and beloved friend, He understands and cares for us during those dark times (John 11:32-35).  His words found in the Scriptures can comfort and encourage us in such circumstances.

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words."  (1 Thes. 4:13-18)  

Since He suffered death, He is able to be our merciful and faithful High Priest to help us be free from the fear of death, bringing the comfort of hope into our lives.

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." (Heb. 2:14-18)

CONCLUSION: 

Our Lord cares during our times of pain, burdens, cares, dread and fear, temptation and grief, sadness, heartache, and the loss of loved ones.

 "O yes, He cares, I know He cares; His heart is touched with my grief;

When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares."

Jesus not only demonstrated that He cares for us through His death but also that He continues to care for us.  Thus, in times of darkness and sorrow, we can rest in the confident assurance that He cares and is willing to help us. 

When life's storms besiege our soul, God is always near us to prove that He cares for us.  He is our Anchor.  Our faith in God can help us bear the fiery furnace of our trials, keeping us from being burned. Our Lord gives us quiet and sweet rest when we are weary because of persecution, affliction, suffering, difficulties, adversities, and Satan’s buffeting. In Christ, we have such an abundance of precious promises that all things shall work together for good, in blessedness.  He is our great Rock that shelters and sweetly refreshes us in our time of need.

Indeed, our most in-depth spiritual lessons come from trials, pain, and suffering.  The deep waters, the hot fire, and the dark valleys teach us to walk the faith path.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."  (Isaiah 43:2)  

God walks with us through our darkest valleys, troubled waters, and hot fires.  He never breaks His promises. Every time that we walk through the deep waters of difficulty and suffering, He is there with us to provide refuge and rest.   And no matter how many fierce storms, challenges, and suffering come our way, God will be our refuge and the solid and sure anchor that we can hold on to.  He is our source of protection or shield and rest during life’s storms.  But we must learn to hide ourselves in Him alone.

"You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word."  (Psalm 119:114)

"For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock."  (Psalm 27:5)

"Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You."  (Psalm 143:9)

He is our place of shelter and safety.  He will carry us with loving and tender care in our times of fear and sorrow.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.  4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.  5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.  6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.  7 The LORD of hosts is with us;  the God of Jacob is our fortress.  8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.  9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;  he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.  10 'Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!'  11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."' (Psalm 46)  

Our God shelters us like the wings of care and protection of a protective mother bird.  In our times of trouble and sorrow, our merciful and loving God spreads His wings to guard His children so that no harm will overtake them.

"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by."  (Psalm 57:1)

"He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler."  (Psalm 91:4)

"No evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent."  (Psalm 91:10)

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" (Matthew 23:37)

May we all come to our place of refuge, strength, and defense, in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May we find rest and quiet solitude in His arms where we can just drown out this world’s cares. May we find hope and healing in Him alone amid our burdens and distress, for He cares and is touched by our sorrows and trials.

I hope the words of this lovely song stir your soul the way they do mine.

“Does Jesus Care?”

"Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth and song,

As the burdens press, and the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long?"

"Does Jesus care when the way is dark With a nameless dread and fear?

As the daylight fades into deep night shades, Does He care enough to be near?"

"Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed To resist some temptation strong,

When for my deep grief I find no relief, Though my tears flow all the night long?"

Does Jesus care when I’ve said ‘good-by’ To the dearest on earth to me,

And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks–Is it aught to Him, does He see?

Chorus,

 "O yes, He cares, I know He cares; His heart is touched with my grief; When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares."  

Luci