“Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4
God led Abraham in various directions with no guarantees other than an inward assurance that God would take care of him. Abraham’s life was not dissimilar to ours. Abraham was familiar with anxiety, fear, uncertainty, disappointments, and near-death experiences. Abraham also suffered the emotional pain of a somewhat dysfunctional and challenging family life; the separation of children, unreasonable and uncomfortable familial interactions, and sibling rivalry.
It shouldn’t be surprising to people of faith, when these kinds of challenges, in one way or another, are a part of our lives or at least threaten to be a part of our lives.
Through all of his challenging experiences Abraham found comfort and confidence because he had an inward assurance that God would take care of him. We can have this same assurance that God will take care of us. The Book of Hebrews defines our common faith as the substance (or inward assurance) of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. The essence of faith is having an inward assurance that everything will be okay with us, no matter how bad it looks.
We should cast our care upon God because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). This is a particular promise offered to the people of faith. And if for whatever reason, help is deferred for a time, or even to the end of our life, we look for a City Who’s Builder and Maker is God, as Scripture confirms Abraham did. Knowing that eternal assurance is of greater assurance than all things in life, we know that we are only here for a while. And although our life may be mostly pleasant, when we face any hardship or challenge, we can and will endure it with patience and confidence because we are convinced that God will take care of us, now and to the end.
“Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you;
Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you.”