Are you important to God as an individual? How interested is He in the details of your life? How much does He care what happens to you?
You may have little doubt that God will help you when you are in serious trouble — in a life-threatening situation, for example. But what about those bothersome day-to-day problems you confront? Oh, you know God could help you and deliver you from them also. After all, He is almighty. But will He? Is it important enough to Him? After all, God has a lot to do. He is ruling the far-flung universe, keeping galaxies in place, monitoring supernova and black holes, commanding angelic hosts, taking care of big things. And on earth He is overseeing the course of nations, guiding and directing His Work, helping those of His children who are in serious need. So does God really care — does He have time to care — whether you get a good night's sleep or whether the mechanic solves the problem with your car or whether your case of sniffles goes away? One of the reasons some lack faith, whether in little matters or big ones, is that they do not realize how greatly God is interested in their personal lives. They do not grasp the extent of His concern.
You are specially chosen
How much does God care about you? Let's look at this question from God's perspective, rather than through human eyes! If you are a true Christian — a member of God's true Church — you didn't just stumble into the truth. It was not an accident or a stroke of luck that you happened to be turning your radio or television dial and came upon the World Tomorrow broadcast, or that you found a copy of The Plain Truth or some booklet put out by God's Church, and that you began to understand. God the Father — the Supreme Being, the one who is above all, who knows all, who rules all — looked down at the hearts of individual human beings as He has the power to do (Ps. 11:4 ). Millions, yes, hundreds of millions, of people God left in darkness. But you He chose. Individually. By name. Yes, your name was mentioned in the heavens, pronounced by God the Father in the hearing of angelic beings and Jesus Christ: "I want [your name] to be one of my firstborn." Your eyes He opened. He selected you to be one of His children now, whereas the majority of human beings won't be given their opportunity until a later time. (Read our free article "Is This the Only Day of Salvation?") God's purpose in creating humanity is to reproduce Himself. He wants to bring into being other members of the God Family. That will be the supreme accomplishment of His creative skill.
The master and his tools
If you are one who has been given understanding at this time, God is working with you. You are His "workmanship" (Eph. 2:10). Compare the skill and care with which God is forming and finishing you with that of a master potter, painter, sculptor, architect or diamond cutter, or any truly skillful artist at work on a cherished project. Whatever analogy you might wish to use, you can be sure of one thing: When God is fashioning one of His masterpieces, He is infinitely more concerned with each brush or chisel stroke, with each delicate touch applied to the clay, than any human has ever dreamed or dreamed of being! God is concerned with anything and everything — no matter how seemingly small or insignificant — that could in any way affect the quality of the final work of art. When God does something, He does it well — in fact, perfectly. That's why Jesus described our destiny as that of becoming perfect (Matt. 5:48). When God has accomplished His will in us, there shall not remain the slightest "spot or wrinkle or any such thing" (Eph. 5:27). We shall be " holy and without blemish" (same verse), "conformed to the image" of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29), "filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph.3:19). Can you begin to comprehend why God is interested in more than just the major events in your life? Why He is deeply interested in every circumstance that may influence how you and your character turn out?
We as preshaped stones
When the Temple was being built in Solomon's day, the individual stones of God's house were fashioned and shaped to fit perfectly before they were brought together and assembled. During the period of quarrying and preparation, every blow of the hammer, every cut of the chisel, was extremely important. Once at the building site, there was to be no more chiseling or hewing (I Kings 6:7). And yet the stones all fit together harmoniously. Do you see the analogy? We are, as individual stones, being fully prepared as God's spiritual Temple. We are being fashioned now to fit perfectly and harmoniously in the place being prepared for us in God's Kingdom (John 14:3). This concept explains a lot. Have you ever had a trial for which you could not understand the reason? "Why did this happen to me?" you may have asked. You prayed about it. But God did not immediately deliver you. He just let the trouble continue for a while. Maybe for a long while! Why? You don't have to know the full answer in this life. God is the architect. He knows what shape each stone needs to take to fit perfectly into His overall design. He knows how to knock off the rough edges, how to smooth and polish the surface to make the whole "building fitly framed together... an holy temple in the Lord" (Eph. 2:21, Authorized Version). Have confidence that God knows what He is doing. You may have seen the thought-provoking picture of a little boy standing amid signs of extreme poverty. His clothing is tattered, his hair disheveled. Dirt is smudged on his face and on his bare feet, and he is clutching a worn-out teddy bear, but he is grinning nonetheless. Across the bottom of the picture is the statement: "I know I'm worth somethin', 'cause God don't make no junk!" You, called and chosen by God, are worth much to Him. He has invested a lot in you. You occupy the most prominent place in His attention. He is forming, molding, shaping, fashioning you into His highest workmanship. And God does not make junk!
God is all-knowing
Nothing you do is hidden from God. Nothing can be kept from Him. To illustrate God's omniscience, think for a moment about what was involved in the slaying of the firstborn of the Egyptians at the time of the Exodus. For God to know whom to smite, He had to know who all the firstborn were. That means God had to know the order of birth of every individual living in Egypt, from "Pharaoh who sat on his throne to... the captive who was in the dungeon" (Ex. 12:29). Among all human beings in Egypt, old and young, God had to know who was the first in each family. You think that was an accomplishment? There was more to it yet. That night God also slew the firstborn of the Egyptians' beasts! So He had to know the birth order of all the animals in Egypt included under the death sentence. No telling how old some of the animals may have been or under what circumstances they were born. God knew which ones were the first to have come out of their mothers' wombs. Do you think God knows the intimate details of your life any less than those of beasts in ancient Egypt? Or what about the life or death of a single sparrow? It didn't stretch Jesus' imagination that God could be aware of the well-being of a tiny bird (Matt. 10:29). "Do not fear therefore," declared Jesus to His followers. In other words, don't be anxious and worried about your life. He said, "You are of more value than many sparrows" (verse 31). Of course, because you are a potential immortal member of the God Family! You are of such intense interest to God that "the very hairs of your head are all numbered" (verse 30). Is it reasonable to think that God could be concerned about how many hairs are on your head and at the same time be indifferent to details of your day-to-day life? He is concerned about anything and everything that could affect your growth and development.
God is concerned with every situation
Not long ago, a man and his wife living in the eastern United States were considering whether or not to move across the country to an area where the husband could use his skills to better advantage. For this family it was a major decision. Several children and their schooling were involved. There were friends and relatives to leave behind, not to mention all the trauma and problems of packing belongings and moving furniture — pulling up roots and settling down in a new environment thousands of miles away. No doubt the family spent much time discussing the pros and cons of the move, as well as praying to seek God's will in the matter. What really stunned and bewildered this couple was when they mentioned to one who claimed to be a minister that they were considering such a move and trying to find out what God's will was. "Frankly, I don't think God cares one way or the other!" was the reply. Contrast that answer with what James wrote. He specifically said that a Christian ought to be concerned about God's will when considering a move to a different city, a business transaction or any other plans (Jas. 4:13-15). Why be concerned about God's will if God doesn't care about such matters? The answer is that God does care. If anything is a problem or a potential problem to any of God's people, He cares. Are you familiar with the scripture that says: "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of many of their truly serious troubles; but the rest of their problems they must needs struggle with on their own strength" ? There is no such scripture! Listen to what the Bible says: "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles" (Ps. 34:17). "All their troubles" means just that. Big ones, little ones, in-between ones — all of them. Of course, we have to do our part, but then God steps in and supplies everything we lack to give us victory and make things work out right. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all" (verse 19)! Anybody who doesn't take advantage of God's willingness to help in every situation is missing out on a lot of peace of mind, is making unnecessary mistakes, is being defeated because he is trusting in his own strength.
God really cares
If something bothers you, it is a problem, no matter how insignificant it seems. And no problem is too small to take to God. Nor is any problem too big. You do not need to face life's problems by yourself. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). "Commit your way to the Lord," instructs Psalm 37:5. More exactly, the Hebrew states, "Roll your way upon the Lord." Just take all of your problems, all your trials, all your weaknesses and shortcomings, all that you want to change, all that burdens you, weighs you down. Gather it all together, roll it all up and lay it on the Eternal. His back is strong and His shoulders are broad. "Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" (same verse). Certainly you have to do your part. You have to seek wisdom and counsel, exercise perseverance and resourcefulness, apply all the laws of success. But when you take the matter to God, He will supply what you lack. Take advantage of the tremendous privilege that is yours as one of God's chosen. Seek God's help in all situations, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (I Pet. 5:7). God really cares about you. Share your life with Him and see! Experience what moved David to exclaim: "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.... Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" (Ps. 34:3-4, 8).
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