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When You’re Not Sure Jesus Cares

Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Luke 10:40 (NIV)

I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things. Isa. 45:7 (ESV)

The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Prov. 16:4 (ESV)

Lord Jesus, when I first read Martha’s question to you, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” my initial reaction was one of self-righteous judgment. I found myself wanting to say to her, “If Jesus doesn’t care, who does?” Or, “Martha, get over your whining and finish the meal.”

But there are other scenarios in life, far more confusing and frustrating than Martha’s kitchen, that lead us to ask the question, “Lord don’t you care?” Grant us grace to steward our confusion, hurt, and anger when that happens.

Jesus when we’d prefer your predictability to your sovereignty, grant us big grace and trusting hearts. When you don’t intervene in the lives of our children and when suicide bombings persist; when floods come, jobs go, health fails, and crooks succeed … help us to accept the fact that you “make well-being and create calamity“, and that you have made “everything for its purpose,” even “the wicked for the day of trouble.”

It’s easy to accept disruptive sovereignty, as long as it doesn’t encroach upon our space, our stories, or our families. But sometimes affirming that your thoughts and ways are really different from ours (Isa. 55:8) isn’t very fun, Jesus, or in keeping with how we’d like you to be and act.

Thank you for never responding to us with irritation, impatience, or disgust. You will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. On your schedule, you will cause “justice to be victorious” (Matt. 12:20). The weary find rest in you—even though we won’t get every question answered before the Day of all things new (Matt. 11:28-30: Rev. 21:5). Thank you Jesus, thank you. So very Amen we pray, in your kind and powerful name.

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