One line of the song “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” asks, “If I falter, Lord, who cares?” We know who does. But sometimes the pressure and pain of present circumstances make us raise this question—to ourselves and maybe even to others.
In the last article we saw that many individuals in the Bible could have felt similarly. Now let’s go back to the Scriptures to glean divine help in dealing with this question. To begin, let’s consider our Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Cared
In our heads we say, “Of course we know that Jesus cares.” But sometimes our feelings allow us to question what we might otherwise readily assent to with our minds. Let’s refresh our memories with some of the verses from the Word of God that prove beyond any shadow of doubt how deeply Jesus really does care for us.
In eternity, when He was enjoying the unhindered sunshine and bliss of fellowship with the Father, He also could say, “My delights were with the sons of men” (Prov. 8:3131Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. (Proverbs 8:31)).
Then He came to earth to carry out, in time, the plan purposed by the Godhead in eternity. He became poor that we might be eternally rich. “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:99For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)).
He bore the just penalty of God for our sins that we might never feel the judgment of God ourselves. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5); also Psa. 42:77Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. (Psalm 42:7); 1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he that hears My word, and believes Him that has sent Me, has life eternal, and does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death into life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24) JND).
We could go on and on enumerating the myriad ways that our Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us. The cross stands as the ultimate monument in time to His infinite love and care for our eternal good and happiness. As someone has said, “He could not give more; He would not give less.”
Jesus Still Cares
What about the present? While He completed the work of atonement on Calvary to God’s glory once and for all, so that He said absolutely, “It is finished” (John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)), He continues to work on our behalf now that He has ascended to the Father’s right hand. That work takes on two forms: He is our great high priest so that we might not sin (Heb. 4:1414Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Hebrews 4:14)), and He is our advocate if we do sin (1 John 2:11My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (1 John 2:1)).
He helps us when we are being tempted. “In that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor [or, help] them that are tempted” (Heb. 2:1818For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)).
He intercedes for us. “Who shall bring an accusation against God’s elect? It is God who justifies: who is he that condemns? It is Christ who has died, but rather has been also raised up; who is also at the right hand of God; who also intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:33-3433Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:33‑34) JND). In fact, this portion of Romans 833Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:33‑34) shows us that the whole Godhead is for us: the Spirit (vs. 27), God (vs. 31) and Christ (vs. 34).
When Peter was soon to face strong temptation, the Lord said to him, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:3232But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:32)). This does not remove our responsibility to walk closely to the Lord in dependence on Him, as He said to the disciples in Gethsemane, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Matt. 26:4141Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)). But what a comfort it gives to our hearts to know that our best Friend intercedes incessantly for us!
We know that Peter did fail and denied his Lord. Was it all over with His care for His self-confident servant? No, thank God! That same care proved itself to Peter in other, marvelous ways to work true repentance and restoration in his soul. “The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord” (Luke 22:6161And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. (Luke 22:61)). That look brought Peter’s soul back into the presence of the Lord so that he could see the true character of his failure. Undoubtedly the work of God continued in Peter’s heart over the next few days, plowing deeper and deeper to the root of the sin that caused the outward fall. Then, after the Lord had died and was risen again, we read, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:3434Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. (Luke 24:34)). In that private meeting, Peter must have made full confession of his sin to the Lord and was restored to happy communion with Him once again. Later on, the Lord declared that completed restoration to the other disciples by publicly giving Peter a broad, far-reaching work to do for Him (John 21:15-1715So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15‑17)).
Is it any wonder, then, that this same Peter encourages us to cast all our care on Him, “for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:77Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7))? So fully has He demonstrated the solidity, the purity and the infinity of His love and His care for us that all that remains for us is to believe, to trust, to adore and to worship. “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy [or, loving-kindness] endureth forever” (Psa. 136:11O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136:1)).
D. R. Macy