God, Don't You Care?
Christmas break is over, and we’re back on the road. This week we’ll be driving from South Carolina to California, and after that, we’ll hit the Pacific Northwest. We enjoyed our two weeks off, but I don’t mind telling you the holidays weren’t everything we had dreamed they would be. Granted, knowing this was likely our last Christmas to spend with family before moving to Wales, I had high expectations. (And we all know how dangerous that can be!)
We had planned to get several things accomplished during our days off, but time and circumstances didn’t allow for most of them. We dreamed of having all the family together for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but neither of those panned out. And none of our plans included our Xterra breaking down the Sunday morning of the church Christmas program or the $1000+ repair bill that followed. Nor did we foresee that the towing hitch in the back of the newly repaired Xterra would shift mid-journey (on our way home from the repair shop) and break out the back side window. Life! You gotta love it . . . or not!
I tried to keep it together. I really did. As one thing after another fell apart, I did my best to put on my brave face and fight back the tears. But inwardly, I was crying, “God, what are you doing? Don’t you even care?”
Of course, it wasn’t the first time I’d ask this question, but neither was I the first person to voice it. Martha did. When she opened her home to Jesus and his followers, Martha did her best to be the greatest hostess she could be. But when Mary didn’t share her sister’s vision (or her workload), Martha became frustrated and disappointed. Didn’t anyone care how hard she was working? Didn’t anyone notice she had more work to do than she had hands to do it? And so, she asked Jesus as much:
“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.”
Also among those who have questioned God’s care are his disciples. After a long day of teaching, Jesus bid his rag-tag group of followers sail to the other side of the sea. But in the middle of the journey, a turbulent storm arose. The winds and rains were so fierce that the ships were battered and nearly sinking, yet Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat. When the disciples witnessed their sleeping Savior, they came to a hasty conclusion—Jesus didn’t care they were about to die.
“And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?”
“God, don’t you care?” It’s not a new question. It’s one that has been uttered down through the ages. It’s been posed by the frustrated, the weary, the fearful, the bitter, the grieved, the overwhelmed, the confused, and so many more. It’s a natural response to circumstances beyond our control, unmet expectations, and dashed dreams. But more than that, it’s an inquiry the Lord loves to answer.
He answered Martha with a rebuke. He answered the disciples with a miracle. And He recently answered me with both in the form of a $1,000 check. The money was a love gift from a church we had visited over a year ago. We weren’t expecting it. We had no idea it was coming. And they had no idea how much we needed it or that their generous gift would cover most of our recent auto repair bill.
But God knew. Why? Because He cares. He’s been paying attention. He knew what we needed and when we needed it. He knew my faith was beginning to waver, so He stepped in and showed me—once again—that I can trust him. The unexpected offering was a miracle. The unexpected reminder of God’s care for me was a rebuke. After all, I should know better by now. He hasn’t failed me yet. Why should I think He would start now?
Did I have my perfect Christmas? No, but I had better than I deserved. Did everything go the way I had planned? No, but God took care of all the details. Did I enjoy the time we had with family and friends? Absolutely. Then, isn’t that all that really matters?
This may be the last post I write to you before the end of the year, so I want to leave you with this reminder—God cares. Some days, it may not seem like it. Some days, it may not feel like it. But God cares. He’s always watching and working. We may not see the big picture as He does, but as long as we keep our eyes on our big God, we’ll be okay.
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”