He careth.

This painting from 1883, He Careth, by Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau is mesmerizing to me.

Elizabeth described her piece as a reminder that God cares for even the smallest of creatures. 

The Bible tells us that He does take care of even the sparrows, so how much more does He take care of us! This is a good reminder for all of us when we have feelings of fear, doubt, and worry. 

I remember when I had my first real job out of college doing business development for a bank. It was a dream job for someone, especially for my age, where I was making good money, had been promoted to vice president, and I was wining and dining customers. Sounds amazing right? The only problem was I knew I wasn’t doing what God had created me to do. I tried to fight it for a while, but knew that I had to resign and do ministry to teen girls full-time. As I anxiously walked into my boss’ office to share the news, I looked out the window and saw a small sparrow, sitting there, looking directly at me for what seemed to be at least three minutes. Which is a long time for a bird to keep eye contact with you! But then I heard the Lord sweetly say that He will take care of me. I have nothing to fear. And worrying does not add another day of my life. But I was to step out in faith, walk in obedience, and trust Him. 

I have now been doing ministry full-time for over 20 years. It hasn’t always been easy, but God has always been faithful. 

So wherever you find yourself today, know that you are God‘s daughter or son, and that He does and will continue to take care of you. We are to lean on Him for our strength and we are to cast all of our cares upon Him so that our load can be light. 

Next time you see a sparrow, may you be reminded that God is with you, and He holds you in the palm of His hands.

“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” - Matthew 10:29-31 NLT