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"...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.." 1 Peter 5:7, ESV

A lot of people would love you to believe that once you get to "a certain age", living a carefree life is irresponsible and something you should be growing out of.  After all, you've got responsibilities, bills to pay, families to care for, careers to progress, business to be busy with.

But God has another plan for you.  His love is so great, that He wants us to continue living a carefree life regardless of circumstance.  Not neglectful or irresponsible, but carefree - because He wants to take that burden from us.

His desire is for us to hand whatever ails us over Him.  No concern is too small or too great, He wants you to leave it with him not only because there's no better alternative, but because He loves and cares for you

Are you living carefree?

"Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you" 1 Peter 5:7, MSG

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"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Ephesians 6:11, ESV

Too often we think we need to be fighting.  We mostly remember that we're not wrestling with flesh and blood, but we seem to skim over the fact that we don't need to fight - it's already been done, and won, on our behalf.

We're told to stand.  Stand against the schemes of satan.  Stand against the tricks he tries on us.  Stand against the lies he tells.  Stand.

I think how we get into trouble with this is that we feel standing is letting him have his way with us - not "doing" anything, but that's the point : it's already been done.  The battle has been won.  We just need to stand and let that victory be visible in our lives.

You don't need to defend yourself against every attack.  Equally, don't cower and give satan more credence than he deserves.  Jesus has already won, so we've already won.  Just stand, secure in your position as God's beloved.  Remain in His love.  Keep yourself in His love.  Know His love.  If you don't, you'll think you have some fighting to do, where in fact all you need to do is stand.

"So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way." Ephesians 6:11, MSG

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"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:35, 37, ESV

It seems the world is literally falling apart this week, though in reality when you look back over the past few years there's been massive natural disasters occurring on most of the world's continents, each having a devastating local effect.

Flooding, fire & drought in Australia, earthquakes, floods and fire in Asia & the Americas, drought & famine in Africa, even the extreme cold across Europe...the world is literally groaning.

But none of it can separate us from God's love. His goodness does not change. None of this fazes us, because Jesus loves us.

And not only that, we are more than conquerors in all these things because through Him we have the authority to rule over our circumstance.  So let your Kingdom come on earth Lord, as it is in heaven - where You reign, not the world.

"Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture...None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us." Romans 8:35, 37, MSG

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"And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church," Ephesians 1:22, ESV

A great number of people have authority issues. That doesn't always mean issues accepting & respecting authority that vests in others; as likely as not it can be understanding the authority we have as God's people.

One of God's richest acts of love was to hand over authority for the earth to us, entrusting His perfect creation to His most-prized creation : mankind.  Not only that, He gave us freewill to decide how we went about that seemingly simple task of caring.

And we all know that went slightly awry ;)

But it doesn't end there.  He made all things perfect again by sending Jesus to clean up the mess we made, and open the doors for His Kingdom to come "on earth as it is in heaven".

So why don't we see that? Even when you can't see them evident in your life, remember God's promises are still true.  I'm not going to pretend to have complete knowledge, but a huge part lies in that fact we still have freewill to choose.   The really great news is that the more we choose His love, the more we become convinced of His unending, unfailing, unswerving goodness toward us, the more we can accept the authority He's delegated to us through Christ as head of the Church, and live out the fullness of His Kingdom here on earth, just as Jesus taught us to pray.

There is great love in true authority - don't ignore it, embrace it.

"He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church." Ephesians 1:22, MSG

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"And Mary said, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word..." Luke 1:38, ESV

I don't know how you're approaching this new year, but I'm having to make a clear choice to approach it with the same resolve Mary showed when she had just received the most incredible news from an angel about her having a baby, before she'd ever had sex, who would be God's own Son - "let it be to me according to your word".

She could be forgiven for thinking she'd lost her mind, as I have been feeling some days this past month or so.

But God can do His best work out of the confusion of feelings and the messiness of life, so in choosing to respond to God's great & immense love for me as Mary did - "let it be to me according to your word" - I can be excited about this new year, full of hope built on a firm foundation

No matter how it looks or feels, God's got abundant life in store for every one of us.  So much love it can't be contained!  Grab hold of it, read and re-read of His goodness and love, let it transform you from the inside out.

"Let it be to me according to Your word"

If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to listen to the message from this past Sunday, and get excited about each new day that this year holds!

"And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say..." Luke 1:38, MSG