HE cares about what’s going on…

during an unexpected crisis in my life i rely on GOD’s care.

HE’s not only close, HE cares about what’s going on.  He’s not only present, HE loves me. 

now the story of the unexpected storm is told in three gospels. in mark 4.38 (niv), the disciples said to HIM, “teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  that’s a typical reaction isn’t it?  don’t you care, GOD, when we go through a crisis? 

the first thing we tend to do is question GOD’s love. “ what gives?  why is this happening to me?  LORD, don’t you care?  i’m facing this disaster, this crisis, don’t you care?  don’t you love me?”  the answer is, of course HE loves you.  absolutely HE loves you.  yes, HE cares. 

i heard a story about a pastor who went to the hospital to visit an elderly man who was dying.  he walked into the hospital room and there was an empty chair sitting by the bed and the pastor said, “i see you’ve already had a visitor today.”  the man said, “no, i need to explain that to you.” 

“many years ago, i went to another pastor and told him, ‘i’m having a hard time praying.  i just don’t know what to say.’  that pastor told me, ‘why don’t you get an empty chair and set it in front of you.  then just imagine JESUS CHRIST sitting in that chair.  then when you pray just talk to HIM in conversation like you would have with a friend.’  i started doing that and that’s how i learned to pray and i’ve done it ever since.” 

the pastor said, “that's a great story.  would you mind if i shared that with some other people?” so he finished the visit and left.  two days later the pastor received a phone call from the elderly man’s daughter.  she was in tears.  she said, “my father has passed away.  i don’t know what happened.  i had just fed him his meal and walked out of the hospital room for a little bit.  in a couple minutes i walked back in and he had passed away.  nothing had changed.  it was exactly the same except he had his arm outstretched on an empty chair.” 

you have no idea how much GOD cares about you.  you have no idea! if i tried to explain it, i couldn’t!  the bible says it’s wider, greater that anything you can imagine, how much GOD cares about you. 

just a thought from the front porch…