The Gift of Friendship
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.—Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.—1 PETER 5:7 KJV
God is in the caregiving business. From the moment we each entered the world, He’s taken care of us by meeting our needs, working tirelessly on our behalf, and shaping us into the men and women He longed for us to be. And He still cares for us—truly, passionately, intently. His great love, even when we don’t deserve it, shows how much He cares.
Without question, the Lord is the ultimate caregiver. He’s the best in the business. And that should motivate us as we set out to care for others. If we imitate God—not just in actions and deeds, but with our motives and intents—we can’t go wrong. And when we feel overwhelmed, He has encouraged us to cast our cares on Him. Why? Because He cares so very much for us!
So run to the Lord with your struggles. Trust your heavenly Father to brush away every tear, wash away every pain, and then set you on your feet again—to care for others. Caregiving, true caregiving, is an art, one modeled by the greatest Artist of all time.
Dear Lord, as I seek to become the best I can be at what I do, help me to keep my eyes on You. Remind me that You were—and are—the ultimate Caregiver.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.—Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.—Jonah 1:3 (ESV)
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.—Isaiah 1:17 (NIV)