October 4, 2021: God Cares

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7, KJV).

When I was growing up, memory verses were a fact of life. There are still dozens of them tucked away in my head. Oftentimes, they come back to mind at moments when they are most appreciated, like today’s verse.

There is no shortage of things to worry about—and most of us have a pretty long list. Our health, kids, parents, co-workers, the economy, getting older, how we look, the future, being loved and accepted, job performance, safety, diet. Did I list anything you worry about?

This verse contains both a command and a promise. The command is to cast your cares upon God. It’s not a suggestion, it’s not an invitation, it’s not something you give consideration to as an alternative to carrying the burdens yourself. It’s a command: Cast your cares. Give those worries to God to carry for you. Don’t just consider it—do it.

The promise is even better: He cares for you. There are no exceptions; in every situation, He cares for you. There is no one for whom He does not care. And it’s not just that He loves the whole world—it’s personal: He cares for you.

This verse is especially meaningful to Adventist HealthCare, whose mission is to extend God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing. It tells us that God is at work to make our efforts to reflect His care effective, and that He seeks to make this work a joy, not a burden. And it reminds us that every individual we serve is a person that God cares for—that no one is ever outside of His love and grace.

God, in 1 Peter 5:7, You give us a command and promise. May we follow and believe. Amen.

Terry Forde is the president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare in Maryland.