6th January
MORNING CONTEMPLATION
TOPIC: CAST THY CARE UPON HIM
TEXT: 1PET. 5:6-7
''Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:/Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.''
To roll our burdens on God, clearly notes humility on our part; to drop our cares on God, is a show of our trust in God's power, wisdom and mercy. Nothing shows off pride in a man than him bearing his burden alone in negligence of help from a clear known quarter. Pride in the sight of God also consists in not giving God a room to bring relief to us: Jesus would have all who labour and are heavy lardened to come to Him for rest. So, the casting of our cares upon Him, is viewed by Peter as humility under the mighty hand of God. In what then does the casting of our cares consist--whereby can we cast our cares on Him?--in prayer, we roll our cares on God; when we make known our needs, difficulties and adversities to Him in the place of prayer, we are said to be casting our burdens on God. Herein lies the secret workings of the grace of prayer: burdens are transfered from the shoulders of crestures to the creator, this is always the case. And none can be said to have prayed if this shifting of burden is not done. experiences have shown that many saints have had their burdened hearts made light in the hours prayer. A saint must not cease to pray until his burdens be gone. So, since casting of burden on God is done by prayer, he who fails or neglect to pray, is deemed as a proud man. A prayerless man is a proud man: he who refuses to pray, remains under his burden; he signifies to God that he himself is a god. Prayerless men are rivals to God, such honour not God. Prayer says, 'I am helpless to help myself, I cast this burdens on you Lord!' So, he who refuses to pray, meets with God's resistance: to stand ready and qualify for God's assistance, a man must be found on his knees. None is humble, but the prayerful. Another thing of note is this: he who worries still carry his burdens, he has not yet cast them on God. Anxiety declears clearly that the burden is not yet cast on God: this is pride, in that the man sees no strenght and readiness in God to help him; he believes that solution rest on him, thereby casting God aside. An anxious man is not only a miserable man, but also a proud man.
Prayer: Oh! bring me on my knees Lord; pour on me the Spirit of prayer and supplication Amen!