Week 1 | Day 3 | God's Care

Command:

Do not worry about your life. Luke 12:22

Read:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

Reflect:

My family emigrated from the Philippines to the United States nearly fifty years ago. Like most families immigrating to America, my parents dreamed of providing a better future for their three young children. They were optimistic - trusting that God’s fingerprints were all over this new adventure. Soon after arriving, Dad found out that the promise of a job transfer from the bank he worked at in the Philippines to a branch here would not materialize. This was devastating. Mom had accepted a post to the Philippine embassy, which is what brought us to America in the first place. It was irreversible. They sold their home, packed and shipped all our belongings, both looking forward to a bright future. Dad returned to the Philippines as he had no legal basis for staying here without the appropriate credentials. For five years, my parents lived apart – Mom raising three young children in a foreign country with no immediate family to call on for help; Dad visiting us only twice yearly. 

There was so much to be anxious about in this season. The time apart took a toll on all of us. We deeply longed to reunite as a family. The sacrifices Mom and Dad made in order for us to have opportunities not available “back home” were enormous. Even so, through it all, they continued to have faith that God was never far from us; praying unceasingly, trusting that God cared for us, casting all their cares on him. I am in awe of my parents’ love of and faith in God, and their deep-seeded joy even through the toughest of circumstances. Such faith is the legacy my parents leave with us. For that I am profoundly grateful.

React:

What challenges has God seen you through? Can you share that story with someone who needs encouragement this week?

Pray:

God, thank you for surrounding us with people who live for the eternal benefit of others. May we be a people who joyfully serve you in serving others, even in the toughest of circumstances.