“Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.”- Psalm 142:4

Dear friend…Have you ever had days or moments, perhaps even weeks or months “WHEN NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE?”

PERHAPS AS A MOM OF SEVERAL CHILDREN, consistently washing, ironing, driving to band practice, car pooling for school or after school activities, running home to make meals and get to late night loads of laundry and not a smidgen of thanksgiving coming forth from the lips of those you labor to benefit? Or as a dad, rising early and working long in what some would consider a “dead-end” job to provide for your family? Or consider the pastor who lingers long over the Scriptures wrestling to understand and to make clear to his flock week in and week out, year after year, and sees little or no change as though…another message passes by “When no one seems to care.” Life can be full of such incidents, “when no one seems to care.”

 Recently I noticed the clock, it was near 2:30am… another sleepless night, perhaps due to the pain medications and others I have been taken recently that seemed to have combined to conspire against my sleeping, but as usual something good would come out of it as the Lord encouraged me on the above thought “when no one seems to care.” Which of us have not gone through that thought at one stage or another? For me it was before Christmas, in the midst of some great pressures when someone said “no one cares if you keep going or not [with the Gospel]…As I thought on “when no one seems to care,” my mind drifted to some friends from the Scriptures who could have said the same thing … consider with me…

HAGAR– Sitting in the desert having run away from Sarah who was angry with her though it was her suggestion she sleep with Abraham to bear him a son. Yet now isolated and alone surrounded only by the darkness of the desert night, it certainly seemed to appear that “no one seems to care…” Or what about…

 THE BLIND SON – in John chapter 9. The Lord Jesus healed him. People asked could it be him? Some said it is, others said it was not! His parents denied any association with answering questions regarding him when the religious were grilling him, lest they be cast out of the temple, so they let their boy stand all alone- even to the point he was kicked out of the religious holy place – Looking at his life we could definitely conclude it appeared, here was another time “when no one seems to care.” Or what about dear…

 PAUL- In a prison cell in Acts 23:9-11 he was afraid. He had testified to the Lord Jesus, the commander of the of the army feared Paul would be “pulled to pieces by them” and commanded his soldiers take Paul by force to their barracks…where was his back up? Where were the others? …alone, threatened by a mob…we certainly could summarize and say here is another example- “When no one seems to care.” Or what of dear…

 ELIJAH-  I Kings 18 &19. He had defeated the enemies of the Lord by putting to death those who opposed the Lord and stood against the opinions and sneers of others. He had seen God do a miraculous thing. And yet under the threat of a woman he ran and ran and ran and finally collapsed in a cave … no one there to back him up, fatigued, tired, scared, alas here too we could surmise was another time “when no one seems to care.” Or consider…

 JOHN ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS– Rev 1:-9.  John was banished to an island because of his loyalty to God, ostracized…sent away. Christians were despised by the Roman aristocracy of that day. Patmos was a barren small rocky island. One historian says ,”His banishment would be ‘proceeded by scourging, marked by perpetual fetters, scanty clothing, insufficient food, sleep on the bare ground, a dark prison, work under the lash of a military overseer.” John himself says “I John, both your brother and companion in tribulation…for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”‘ His crime? Loyalty and Love to God. It would certainly seem as here is another time “when no one seems to care” as we observe the sufferings of his life. But consider also the dear…

 DISCIPLES AT SEA-The waves are to such height and the seas to such turmoil that they despair even of their very own life. And they cry out … again it seems, “When no one seems to care” for these followers of Jesus.

AND WHAT OF YOUR OWN LIFE?

Aaah dear friend, perhaps you too think as you look at your life, judging by difficulties, pressures, lack of appreciation, and point to events in the past or perhaps presently that would affirm there have been times and are times,” When no one seems to care.”

 AND INDEED LET’S BE HONEST- MANY, DO NOT Care about you, they have their own lives, their own struggles and when the thought next comes to your mind, “When no one seems to care,” it is then you must rise up with the truth of the Word of God to stay off the lie of the evil one and shout “HE CARES… GOD CARES FOR ME.”

THE REST OF THE STORY;

LET’S REWIND OUR STORIES, consider what happened Hagar– The Lord SHOWED UP! You cannot outrun His Care for you.  For the BLIND SON– who was kicked out of the temple- the Lord Jesus LOOKED HIM UP! For Paul in prison the Lord SPOKE UP, and told him about further ministry He had for him. He was aware of what Paul had been through and was encouraging him this was not the end, HE HIMSELF had more for him to do.

 FOR JOHN ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS he would be privileged to hear and see things no one had ever had. To experience fellowship with God in a wonderful way that neither banishment nor isolation could stop Him from coming into his circumstance.

FOR THE DISCIPLES who had locked themselves in a room for fear for their lives after the death of Jesus, neither their fear nor locked doors could stop the Lord Jesus from entering into their situation, nor for the disciples in the boat when they feared again for their lives, neither wind nor raging storm nor overwhelming fears nor circumstances could hinder HIM from entering into their dismal circumstance and speak calm to their souls. They would see waves calmed, winds hushed, God in action… God Caring for them.

DEARLY BELOVED- “when no one seems to care”- GOD CARES FOR YOU! 

 He knows all about your situation, all about your running around serving ungrateful people, all about your preparing sermons to give to indifferent people, all about your labor of love in what appears a “dead end job” to provide for the family HE has given you, “when no one seems to care” – And dearly beloved there is no Circumstance so great or overpowering that it can hinder Him from getting to you and getting through To you- He CARES FOR YOU. God has declared in His Word that He cares for you…and it has nothing to so with how or what you “feel” but everything to do with Who HE IS and What He has declared about you! Living by faith in His Word not by your or my changing feelings. Anchored in His declaration not yours or my changing feelings.

 GOD HIMSELF DOES CARE specifically for you, to such a degree there is a Cross that testifies of it, to such a degree there is an empty tomb that testifies of it, to such a degree His Word testifies to His care for you.

 “DOES JESUS HAVE PROMISES?”
Our three year old son Isaiah recently asked Cindee, “Does Jesus have promises? Oh dearly beloved not only does He have promises, He has the power to keep them and He does.

CONSIDER THESE THREE PROMISES THE NEXT TIME- “WHEN NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE”

1. – ” For the EYES of the Lord are upon the righteous, and HIS EARS are open to their prayers….” – 1 Peter 3:12

2. – ” I will NEVER leave YOU nor forsake YOU.”- Heb 13:5.

3. – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”- Rom 8:35,38-39

 “DOES JESUS HAVE PROMISES?” Indeed He does and one is – He will never leave nor forsake you and another is to Cast your cares upon Him … for HE… CARES… FOR …YOU!”- 1 Peter 5:7

 WHEN NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE – is a thought I am sure we all experience somewhere in our lives, like the missionary couple who had served the Lord for over twenty years in Africa who on return to New York were greeted by crowds and a band playing only to find out the crowds and band were there for the president who had been on a safari to Africa…when the crowds finally dispersed and the saddened husband realized there was not a soul there to greet them and he was downcast- and “when it seemed no one cared” his wise wife announced “We’re not Home Yet!”. INDEED friend God is aware of your labor of Love … and He cares and one day He will reward your faithful care for others.

 The next time, and believe me there will be a next time and probably many more times you are tempted to believe the LIE -and your surroundings and circumstances would point to… “NO ONE CARES.”…- STOP… and SPEAK the TRUTH to yourself and remind yourself He cares- 1Peter 5;7 and it is the Lord Jesus whom you serve- Col 3:24… and then keep on serving as unto Him- 2 Cor. 4:5

GOD’S ASSURANCE FOR YOU– “ For the EYES of the Lord are upon the righteous, and HIS EARS are open to their prayers….” – 1 Peter 3:12

A TIMELY REMINDER;

I find myself being reminded of a chorus I heard many years ago and seems to be so applicable to my own situation – and I hope yours too…the words say…” I cast all my cares upon You, I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet and any time I don’t know what I should do, I will cast all my cares upon You…” Try singing along…

“When no one seems to care” – Remember sweet brother or sister- it is not true. For their is One who Greatly CARES FOR YOU…. “Casting ALL your cares upon Him, for HE CARES FOR YOU.”- 1 Peter 5:7

APPLICATION-

  • MEMORIZE 1 PETER 3:12

  • THINK ON THE TRUTH OF THE GOD WHO GIVES YOU HIS ASSURANCE IN THIS VERSE

  • SHARE HIS HOPE THROUGH 1 PETER 3:12

  • THINK-THINK-THINK- ON HIS CHARACTER, PROMISES. DO NOT LET “FEELINGS” MASTER AND DRAG YOU DOWN BUT STAND FIRM AND SPEAK THE TRUTH TO YOURSELF.

  • SEEK TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS WHO ARE TEMPTED OR HAVE YIELDED TO BE EMOTIONALLY DOWN WITH THE HOPE OF GOD HIMSELF AND GOD’S WORD!