Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Pet. 5:7
Heavenly Father, it’s an unparalleled joy to know how much you care for us, your children. We always need your welcoming heart, broad shoulders, and sufficient grace.
By faith on this July Saturday, we offload a bunch of stuff on you—knowing fully well, we’ll try to grab some of it back. Thank you for your kindness and patience. Deepen our trust and strengthen our faith, Father.
We give you the burdens we carry for people we love. Sometimes we naively think if you’d exchange places with us for half an hour, we could take care of a lot of messes. But you haven’t called us to be people-fixers, but Jesus-worshippers and Father-trusters.
Help us think, see, and act with the love of Jesus. Give us thick skin—not like armadillos, but the armor of mercy and wisdom. And give us big hearts—not like golden retriever puppies; but hearts filled with your Spirit, gospel-savvy, and living hope.
Father, also, receive our weariness from living in a world of odd weather patterns, aging bodies, outcomes we can’t control, disappointments we didn’t see coming, and political madness that continues. Help us to see the occupied throne of heaven with 10/15 vision.
You’ve numbered our hairs and days, and you know our fears and bottle our tears. You have the heart of every king in your hand, and the timing of Jesus’ return perfectly set. Nothing catches you off guard or by surprise. There are no wrinkles in your brow or second-guessing in your courts.
Whenever we’re tempted to doubt your burden-bearing care, may Jesus’ cross loom large in our gaze. For it was there, Father, where you bore the greatest of all our burdens, and demonstrated the incomparable extent of your care. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ matchless and merciful name.
