Does God really care?

Two things I know: God is able and God is good.  Ironically these are two statements I see written on buses, signs of shops, and random mud houses in villages all over Rwanda.  Looks like most Rwandans know this too.  Even when knowing these two things, there is still so much I don’t know… or that I haven’t had tattooed on my heart yet. 

It’s one thing to know God’s character and power.  It’s another to know in your heart that God cares about you.  Today I was struck with the realization that I often reflect on the fact that God is in control and that He is in fact a good God, therefore He will make things work out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. (Rom 8:28) However, not often enough do I reflect on the fact that God accepts me for who I am.  But he doesn’t accept me for what I do or fail to do.  Nope.  He accepts me because of what Jesus did on my behalf.  Today, being reminded of that was such a relief!  The fact is, God cares!  He cares enough to go to the ends of the earth to make Himself available to me and to you.  If He is willing to let His only son die a gruesome death in order for us to know how deep His love is for us, then what other evidence do I need to be convinced that God cares about me?  When I remember that beyond my failures and triumphs, God sees me with the same unconditional love, I have freedom to live without fear, anxiety, or doubt of whether or not God is listening to my prayers. 

I’ve been reading this book called “The Ultimate Conversation” by Charles Stanley.  So far the biggest thing stressed in this book about prayer is that our view of God directly affects how we pray.  Why would I take the time to sit and talk with God if I didn’t believe in my heart that He truly cares about me?  I wouldn’t… I don’t feel comfortable sharing my heart with someone who is indifferent about my life.  Even if I believed that person to be a good person with lots of power, I still wouldn’t.  I need to know they care about me. 

For my prayer life to strengthen, my view of God’s love for me must get stronger.  It’s not about trying to be overly holy or proving to God that I trust Him.  It’s all about getting to know my Maker and my Savior and being changed by His love.