In 1 Peter 5:7, the Apostle Peter exhorts us to "cast all your anxiety on him [Jesus] because he cares for you."

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is God, and He can do anything.

In a brief period of time, as reported in Matthew 8, Jesus healed a leper (vv. 1-4), healed a centurion's servant (vv. 5-13), healed Peter's mother-in-law plus many demon-possessed people (vv. 14-17), calmed a storm (vv. 23-27), and released the two maniacs of Gadara from the bondage of multiple demons (vv. 28-33).

Jesus Christ is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe (Colossians 1:16-17). Yet today it is possible for us to think that He could not, would not, or does not look down on us as individuals to help us.

In John 11 we are told of some of Jesus' close friends. Their names were Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Jesus had spent time in their home.

On one occasion Jesus was out of town, and Lazarus got sick. The sisters sent word to Jesus that His friend Lazarus was sick (vv. 1-3), but He intentionally stayed away (v. 6), delaying His return to their family. Lazarus died, and his sisters were distressed. Jesus returned and displayed great care for them (vv. 33-36).

The temporary inaction of Jesus had nothing to do with His care. He had a higher purpose to fulfill. He let Lazarus die so that He could raise him from the dead for the glory of God, and see many come to believe in Him as the Son of God (vv. 40-45).

Today, Jesus may not immediately change our circumstances, but He will carry us through anything and everything by His grace.

There is a simple criteria to all this. First Peter 5:7 states that we are to "cast," or put, our cares on God. Hebrews 11:6 says that when we come to God, we "must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." If we are to shift the load of concern we are carrying to somebody else, we must believe they can carry it.

There is another important ingredient to casting our anxiety on Jesus. First Peter 5:6 says that we need to "humble [ourselves], therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift [us] up in due time."

Jesus is God, and as God, He can do anything, including keeping bad things from happening to us. The process for us is to:

• recognize our problem which causes great concern in us,
• realize that, for whatever reason, God has allowed the problem,
• humble ourselves under God's hand, and
• immediately cast our care on Him, believing He is the only One who can carry it.

A life lived in humility and dependence on God's grace is the life that will speak for God and glorify Him. Jesus is the greatest Caregiver!