In our church Bible study we were looking at Acts 13 and a little phrase caught my eye: 'They entrusted them to the Lord' (Acts13:23 Amp).This was referring to Paul and Barnabas as they appointed elders in every church they planted. They entrusted them to the Lord with prayer and fasting. I felt how important that act of entrusting is for us all. These new elders were the first fruits of Paul and Barnabas’ call as missionaries. At great cost they’d travelled through hostile cities and nations, often facing danger, even the threat of death. It must have been awesome every time someone opened their hearts to the Lord or received healing through their ministry. But now, through prayer and fasting, they were taking the step to entrust them to the Lord, believing that he would take care of them, strengthen them and enable them to grow in their new faith and leadership.
Sometimes I am very slow to entrust things to the Lord. I hold onto people I am concerned for and worry about them. I go over in my thoughts, things that are likely to go wrong for them. Sometimes I feel that because someone encountered God through me, that it needs to be me who carries them forward. We can hold onto our sense of responsibility and become over possessive for those we love.
But Paul and Barnabas entrusted them to the Lord. They had a bigger picture than their own concern or even their own impact on these new Christians. Their eyes were fixed on the greatness of God’s love and commitment to care for all his people. David describes his love in Psalm 103:12 as being as far as the East is from the West. There is no boundary or limit to his love. It is unending and totally unconditional so he will certainly care about every person we entrust to him.
Another area I really need to entrust to the Lord is my own confusions when I’m not sure of the way ahead or am struggling in life. As Christians, we still face life’s frailties and endure pain and loss. I’ve had a weird year with nothing turning out as I expected or hoped and am feeling the pull to despondency. But however things may look, God is always with us and knows the way ahead. Jesus is our friend and promises to turn all things to the good as we trust him.
Are you, like me, feeling a weight in your heart today, either for yourself or others? Can you entrust your concerns to Jesus, believing that he will be faithful to help you or bring about justice or strength for those you love?
Peter encourages us to cast all your cares on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). I am finding it is a wonderfully freeing thing to truly ‘cast’ or throw, all those concerns and confusions onto him, knowing he cares so deeply and will act to bring about something beautiful. The very act of such casting is an act of heartfelt prayer and he assures us that he hears and responds to our every prayer.
May you know his deep peace and joy filling your heart as you entrust all to him.
