Casting Call

Aspiring actors often spend their days responding to casting calls, hoping to one day answer a call that leads to THE role of a lifetime--a breakout role that establishes him or her as a bonafide, "A-list" actor.

While actors strive daily to perfect their ability to imitate life through art, God calls us daily to experience the art of life.  One way we can truly experience the art and beauty of the lives God has given us is to acknowledge and respond to God's "casting call" -- a call for us to start "casting [our] cares upon Him, for He cares for us." (1 Peter 5:7)

There is nothing that we experience in this life that catches God by surprise,  nor is there any challenge that God has not already provided a solution for.  The problem is usually not the problem itself, but how we respond to the problem.

When we take matters into our own hands, we lean on our own understanding instead of acknowledging God in all our ways so that He can direct our paths.

No matter how smart we are, we can never match God's omniscience, or power and ability to know all.  No matter how swiftly we can appear on the scene or rush to the rescue, we are not omnipresent like God, who is able to be anywhere and everywhere simultaneously.  No matter how strong we are, we will never have the omnipotence of God's unparalleled power.

So, why do we insist on holding on to problems, pains and predicaments when God says we are to cast our cares upon Him?  Some of us will initially cast them, but quickly lose patience and start reeling those problems right back in, often dragging with them an extra barnacle or two.

Some things in life just aren't worth holding on to.  Even if we find ourselves in an argument in which we are indisputably "right," what trophies are we going to win for fighting tooth and nail to prove our point?  Sure, God calls us to take a stand on certain issues, but every disagreement is not an occasion to pull out the heavy artillery and shell shock our friends and family just because we don't agree on a certain issue.

When we finally learn to take God at His word and cast our cares upon Him, we can begin to see life through new eyes.  We will especially see Jesus' sacrifice at Calvary through new eyes, for indeed, Jesus bore all of our inquities and cares on the cross long ago.  He is more than qualified to handle any care that we can cast upon Him today or tomorrow.

Through Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection we have been set free from the power, presence and penalty of sin.  So, when we see it creeping around our door, we don't have to answer.  When life's problems start harrassing us and knocking incessantly on our door, we can always say, "Jesus, I think that's for You" and let Him answer.

When we remember that our times are in God's hands, we can breathe a little easier because we know that our problems do not have the last word.  We can also breathe a sigh of relief once we understand that the role in which we are cast in the drama of life is not the lead--that role has already been taken by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We are all extras and supporting actors who will finally earn the ultimate "breakout role" when we are with the Lord in glory.

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen