Cared For

This is a different post than I intended.
It started out to be a story about something my Lanny Love did on Friday -
several somethings in fact -
that showed me he not only cared about me,
but wanted to care for me.
It was to segue into how God cares for and about us.
But as I read it,
I realized it was really bragging on what a fine man he is
and what a lucky woman I was to have him.
And so, I want to focus on the God caring
and not muddy the waters with man.

I am coming more and more to realize that,
in our imperfection,
man cannot be central in our lives.
It just doesn't work.
We fail.
We disappoint.
We hurt one another.
We don't mean to,
but we do.
We may love deeply.
We may love passionately.
We may love as completely as is humanly possible.
But we do not love perfectly.
Only God loves perfectly.
And it is that perfect love,
that perfect being cared about and for,
that I want to focus on today.

As a mom, I love my children fiercely!
Passionately!
I would - have - sacrificed my own comfort,
my own wants,
my own needs,
for them.
And glad to do it!
And yet,
I have failed so often where they were concerned!

But our Heavenly Father,
our Daddy God,
He never fails!

One of my favorite paraphrases is from "The Living Bible" and says,

"For how well He understands us and knows what is best for us at all times."

                                                                                 ~~ Ephesians 1:8 ~~

In my imperfection,
I have questioned that in my life.
Most especially over the last three years.
But over and over,
God has proven that verse!
And so,
for those things I can't see how they could possibly be best for me,
I can trust that they are,
because His word says so,
and because He has proven it in the past.

Most of us balk a bit at the idea of being cared for.
We like being cared about, but for?
Like a two-year-old,
we are very likely to stomp our foot and say,
"Me do it me-self!!!"
Again, that just doesn't work!
God knows us better than we know ourselves!

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 

Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

                                                                                 ~~ Luke 12:7 NIV ~~

He knows us so intimately that he knows exactly how many hairs we each have. 

Who among us can make that claim? 

Even a bald man cannot 

for those hairs extend to our body and 

God knows how many of those there are as well!

When my Lanny Love did the two things 

that especially made me feel cared for on Friday,

I balked a bit.

Because I didn't want to be an inconvenience.

I didn't want to seem needy.

But it gave me such pleasure knowing he wanted to take care of me.

And I think it gave him pleasure too.

And it pleases God when we allow Him to take care of us
for He is a gentleman, 
never forcing Himself on us.

I had to allow my Lanny Love to take care of me.

I could have done without his acts of caring and survived.

But it would have made my life more difficult and uncomfortable.

It's that way with God.

We must allow Him to move.

Oh, we can muddle along on our own.

We may even thrive in the world's view,

but our spirits won't sing!

And what a lovely song we miss out on

when we choose that path!

Genesis 28:15 (ESV) says,

"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, 

and will bring you back to this land. 

For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 

He is with us and keeps us wherever we go!

Keeps us!

Cares for us!

No matter how bad it feels!

He cares!

No matter how overwhelming!

He cares!

No matter how confusing!

He cares!

No matter what!

He cares!

Thank You, Daddy God!

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him,

and He helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise Him.

                                                                 ~~ Psalm28:7 NIV ~~