1 Peter Chapter 5 verse 7 (NIV)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
When I read this verse this morning, it was the word “cast” that caught my attention. In Hebrew, “to cast” comes from the root word ‘shalak’, meaning to hurl, fling, to banish, shed or abandon. The picture that this then conjours up to me is that God doesn’t simply want us to hand over our anxieties and worries to Him, but to throw them as far away from us as possible and He will take the burden of them.
If we throw these things over to God as far away from us, then we will be less likely to pick them up again. Notice that the word “banish” is included in the definition. If we banish someone or something from our life, it usually means that we never see this thing again.
How often do we bring things before God, only to pick them up again and continue to worry over them? What a great sign of God’s love for us that He wants to take the burden of these things that bring us anxiety and worries and banish them from our hearts. They become His, and He is more than able to deal with them.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for that great love that wants us to banish our worries and anxieties and let You deal with them. Help me to take Peter’s advice. I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.