Cares

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 7
In the early days in this country, people commonly took their grain to the mill to have it ground into flour. Many, perhaps most, of those mills were powered by water wheels driven by the old mill stream. Roads were seldom paved and wound up and down over the hills. One day a man was observed heading toward the mill on horseback with a bag of grain on his own shoulder. A neighbor met him and in amazement asked him, "Why do you not put that bag on the shoulder of the horse?" The man replied, "Oh, he has enough work to carry me." Humorous as this may be, it serves to illustrate something Christians are often guilty of doing. The charge to us in 1 Peter 5:77Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7) is, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." Sometimes we attempt to do this and then after a short time, we pick up that burden again. The blessed Lord will take our burdens if we will just turn them over to Him.
In the parable of the sower in Mark 4, the first thing that hinders fruitfulness is not the deceitfulness of riches but rather the cares of this world. Mark 4:1919And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:19) reads, "And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." Surely each Christian does desire to be fruitful and so we need to learn this lesson.
Luke 21:3434And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. (Luke 21:34) explains it further for us and speaks of the overcharge. All of us have the necessary duties and cares of this life and rightfully so. It is then, the overcharge of the cares of this life that we have to guard against.
The One who cares for us knows all and loves us perfectly and tells us, "The very hairs of your head are all numbered." Luke 12:77But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7). What love and carefulness for us! A mother will count the fingers and toes of her baby, but our God even counts our hairs. This is surely told us so that we might confide more and more in Him.
Martha allowed her service to come between her soul and the Lord. He says to us, "I would have you without carefulness." 1 Cor. 7:3232But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: (1 Corinthians 7:32). Let us remember the illustration of the man on the horse, still carrying the bag of grain on his own shoulder, and cast all our cares upon the Lord who is ready and willing to bear them. Ed.