He cares for YOU!

  I Peter 5 begins by speaking to pastors, among the other instructions which follow that first paragraph comes the instruction to cast our cares or anxieties on the Lord.  Reading that recently, I began to think how God might take care of those burdens.  But the passage has a different point, His care is not for our cares; it is for us!  His concern is for His sons and daughters, not their problems.  Their problems are simple for Him; they, however, are incredibly important.  It was with those thoughts, that I gave a second stanza to a poetic verse I wrote several years ago.

My Lord Cares

“He careth for thee,” and not just for thee,

But for all of the “thee’s” on this earth.

He bled and He died; He lives, glorified,

Declaring “thee” consummate worth.

“He careth for thee”: ‘twas not for thy cares,

That the Savior came down to this earth.

He bled and He died; He lives, glorified,

Declaring “thee” consummate worth.

Signs seen in a WY Rest Area...

Crossing Wyoming on Monday, it seemed best to us to be in a car not a bus when we stopped at this Rest Area.  Being a bus did not look safe here...

This is not just a matter of perspective; that's really how it looked! Bus, onward to the prairie!

Dogs, however, need not worry for their safety.  They will NOT be thrown away.

My private opinion is that the notation was needed to avoid confusion...

(The rest stop is on I-70, near the middle of Nowhere.)

The Mighty Fortress is our God

While singing "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" yesterday evening, I was reminded that this song is a poem with a message woven through all four stanzas, the stanzas really do not stand alone.  This song, which must be nearly five hundred years old, is a worshipful battle-song about the Mighty God triumphing over the Prince of Darkness.  We, His people, participate in that victory because God chose a Man who was also the Lord of Armies to fulfill that victory, and we have received His Spirit.
Themes: God's strength, Satan's attacks, the Trinity, guaranteed victory through Christ

A mighty Fortress is our God,

A Bulwark never failing;

Our Helper He amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing:

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe;

His craft and power are great,

And, armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal. 

Did we in our own strength confide,

Our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side,

The Man of God's own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth His Name,

From age to age the same,

And He must win the battle. 

And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim,

We tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure,

For lo! his doom is sure,

One little word shall fell him. 

That word above all earthly powers,

No thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Through Him who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go,

This mortal life also;

The body they may kill:

God's truth abideth still,

His Kingdom is forever.