“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:6
One of the principal reasons for which David was such a great man in the sight of God, was that he was very sensitive to the things, and leading of God. We see this even after his sin with Bathsheba when Nathan the prophet was sent by God to confront David about his sin. Nathan began speaking to David concerning a rich man who stole from a poor man a beloved lamb that was precious to him. The rich man simply, and blatantly, took the lamb and killed it for food. The reaction of David to this narrative was immediate, and absolute, desiring to bring justice to the poor man for the wrong that the rich man had inflicted upon him. Though David was guilty of a more grievous sin, he was still very sensitive with regard to justice for others, in particular for the poor and needy. In great part, David’s greatness can be traced back to his sensitiveness to God, and the whole-hearted response to the Father’s will. David was gifted with a great capacity to anticipate the needs of his people, possessing a sensitivity to God in prayer and faith, so that he could respond according to the will of God in a manner that was effective, and by which the people were blessed, and God was glorified. If David possessed a sensitivity to need in this manner, though so limited in his perception and capacities, how much more is the Father sensitive to the needs of His children? And how much more will He care for them? The answer to these two questions lies in the knowledge of His nature, and the revelation of His will.
In the Old Testament, there is a term that we rarely use, but which reveals the wonder of God’s nature. It is the term: “tender-lovingkindness.” The New Testament version of this term is found in the words, “…bowels of mercies.” In both the Old Testament and the New, we are brought face to face with a perfect capacity of God, a limitless profound understanding of the needs of every individual, and the revelation that God desires to meet those needs. Tender-lovingkindness speaks of a sensitivity to our needs, but also of the loving and gracious response of a loving Father to meet those needs. This Father is perfect love. He also possesses perfect authority and power to demonstrate that love. The Father, being the author of every circumstance in the life of the believer, is perfectly aware of the details of His child’s needs, certainly far more than the child. For example, the Apostle Paul writes on the subject of prayer to the Roman believers the following: “…for we know not what we should pray for as we ought.” (Rom. 8:26) What is he saying here? God is revealing to His child that man has very real limits with regard to his knowledge of the ways, and truths, of God, even of the circumstances in which he finds himself. It is thus for this reason, that the child of God is called upon, according to the knowledge that he has of God, to trust Him wholly, beyond one’s capacity to understand. God also is revealing that He is very sensitive to this most basic need, having made provision for it. In the care for His child, the Lord has given an objective knowledge of His ways, so that we can pray according to the truth of God. This is why we have the objective truth in what we call, “the Lord’s prayer.” But God also provides a means by which He deals with all that we are incapable of knowing and accomplishing. Again, in his letter to the Romans, Paul writes: “Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities…the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (8:26) God, our Father, is infinitely acquainted with every need that we have, and will meet that need, if we truly trust Him.
Dear Father, Make us sensitive and responsive to Thy tender care. In Jesus’ name, Amen.