God Must Be Dead

 

 

"He who knows that God cares for him need have no anxious cares about himself." - Adam Clarke

 

 

"Luther was for a time in gloomy spirits. In vain did Kate, his beloved wife, try to cheer him. At last she put on a widow's garment and went around the house in deepest mourning. When Luther observed this, he asked, 'Who is dead?' 'God,' replied Kate. 'Don't talk so foolish!' retorted the great Reformer. 'Well, my dear Doctor,' answered Kate, 'you are so downhearted that I concluded God must be dead, and so I put on my mourning apparel.' Luther understood the lesson his good wife wished to teach him, embraced her, and forgot his cares." - Encyclopedia Of Sermon Illustrations

 

What about you, O Christian? Do you walk around in gloomy spirits, feeling downhearted, nervous, fretful, troubled, and annoyed all the time? What do the people who live or work around you think? Do you suppose that they have come to the same conclusion as did Luther's wife that God must be dead? If He is indeed alive and you profess to know Him and walk with Him, then why are you so overtaken with anxiety, care, and stress as you generally are?

 

The Scriptures teach us that despondency, heaviness, and anxiety have a great effect on our spirits.

Proverbs 12:25 informs us that - "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop..."

Psalm 94:19 adds - "In the multitude of my thoughts within me..."

 

"Heaviness," being melancholic, or having a load of care depress or disable our spirits. Anxiety in our hearts weighs them down, causing them to "stoop." Restless, tormenting, and burdensome thoughts cause us to distrust God, neglect our duty to Him, and, resultantly, render us unfit for His service.  

 

Numerous, noisy, unruly, and ungovernable thoughts - constantly racing through our minds like a great "multitude" - keep us in a state of uneasiness. They divide and pull our minds into a thousand pieces, while disturbing our joy, robbing our peace, and dampening our hopes. We are constantly hindered from enjoying God's wonderful blessings.  

 

It's no wonder that the Bible commands us to -

Ecclesiastes 11:10 - "Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart..."

Matthew 6:25,34 - "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life...Take therefore no thought for the morrow..."

Philippians 4:6 - "Be careful for nothing..."

1 Peter 5:7 - "Casting all your care upon Him..."

 

We are to banish all "sorrow" or anxiety from our hearts;

be not anxiously careful about the things of life;

avoid perplexing and distracting thoughts;

throw all of our "care" or worries on God.

 

When we do, we will reap the most blessed consequences -

Psalm 94:19 - "In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul."

Proverbs 12:25 - "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad."

 

The moment when we decide to obey God and get rid of our anxiety, worries, cares, and perplexities by giving them all to Him - then we will find sweet calmness, peace, and rest for our souls. God's "comforts" will come and silence the "multitude" of thoughts and bring easiness. It is then that we will be still enough to hear His "good word" to us that will make our hearts "glad."

 

God wants to speak a "good word" to you, but you must "cast all your care upon Him" in order to hear it.

He doesn't want you to be anxious and worried, divided and distracted in your thoughts.

He has "comforts" that will "delight" your "soul."

There is such peace, calmness, and rest promised you if you will only obey the Word and banish all anxiety from your heart.

 

"Casting all your care upon Him..."

It's that easy.

Let Jesus carry your heavy load.

It was never intended for your shoulders.

He is well able to bear it.

 

Don't live your life so that others will conclude - God must be dead!

Live so that they will know of a surety that He is very much alive - your life and circumstances are the  proof - you are free from all worries and cares!

 

May God Bless His Word. 
Connie