“When my ‘heart-cares’ are many—my anxieties, stressors, and fears—your deep empathy and unparalleled comfort delight my innermost being.” (pp Ps. 94:19)
Heavenly Father, we carry many types and sizes of “cares” in life—small, mid-size, and large ones. We have cares related to weather fronts (fixin’ to ice-n-snow here in Franklin, Tn), our sports teams, aging skin, pet training—we can turn anything into a care. But the most critical cares we have are “heart-cares”—crises, stories, and relational matters that impact our innermost being.
Abba, it’s scary down here right now—a teetering world, fragile health, an unknown future, and known heartaches—as our “Father of compassion and God of all comfort” (2Cor.1:3), no one is more committed to giving us the care we need and catching the cares we cast (1Pet.5:7). Your empathy and comfort bring us delight like oxygen “delights” gasping lungs, like water “consoles” dehydration, and food “encourages” the starving. In other words, Abba, your kindness and care aren’t an add-on but our everything.
On this January Wednesday, we cast every heart-care we can possibly hurl on you or leave with you. For the ones we have a hard time letting go of, Abba, pry them from our white-knuckled grip; and when we try to grab them back, slap our hands. For the ones just too heavy for us to lift to your throne of grace, send sisters and brothers with burden-bearing love and biceps.
This isn’t just “the day you have made,” 2026 is the year you planned before the world began. You aren’t nervously pacing from afar; you are peacefully reigning up close (Eph.1:11). You are so loving, faithful, sovereign, and kind, Abba. Hallelujah, thank you, and So Very Amen.
