Eddie cast his line out over the water, the wind making tiny ripples on the surface. It landed with a splash. The beauty of the lake always calmed his soul, even when he was troubled, like today. His lifelong friend Sam cast out his own line, then gave him a sidelong glance.

            “Something troubling you? Thought you’d be happy to be out here, what with your grandson coming and everything.”

            Eddie sighed. Sam was too perceptive. “I am happy to be here. I just have a lot on my mind.”

            “Want to talk about it?”

            Eddie flicked at a fly which had landed on his arm, then drew in a breath. “I just worry about the future, you know? Ever since Mary died, I’ve worried about dying alone. The pension doesn’t stretch as far as I’d hoped, and I don’t know what on earth I’ll do for money if I have to go into a home. Those places cost a fortune.”

            Sam chewed on a stick of beef jerky before answering. “That is a lot to wrap your head around.” He looked as if he had more to say, but at that moment, Billy came running down the dock. Both men looked up to see Billy’s mom at the end of the dock, waving before driving away.

            “Hi Grandpa Eddie. Hi Mr. Sam.” Sam said, bubbling with excitement. “Did you catch any fish?”

            Eddie ruffled the boy’s hair. “Not yet, son. Fishing is about being patient.” He nodded to the boy’s backpack. “What do you have there?”

            Billy unzipped the bag and began pulling out items. “My lunch, some cookies mom made.” At this he made a face. “I’m supposed to share them with you.”

            Sam laughed. “We’ll be sure to save plenty for you.” He pointed to the spiral bound book in the bag. “What’s this?”

            Billy’s eyes fell on the book. “It’s my AWANA book. I’m supposed to memorize my Bible verse for this week.”

            “Aye, what’s your verse, boy?” Sam asked.

            Billy turned pages until he found the correct one. “First Peter 5:7. Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.”

            “Well, that doesn’t seem too hard,” Eddie said. “I’m sure you could memorize that in no time.”

            “I don’t understand what the verse means,” Billy said, kicking off his shoes and sitting on the edge of the dock, dangling his feet in the water.
            “Your cares are your worries,” Eddie said.

            Sam reeled his line in and cast it back out again. “Like this, Billy. Think of taking your worries and casting them out onto the lake like a fishing line. Throw them far away from yourself. Can you see the bottom of the lake?”

            Billy peered into the depths. “No.”
            “You can’t see the bottom of God’s love, either. There’s no end to it. The secret is, though, once you throw those worries out for Jesus to take care of, you can’t reel them back in and start worrying about them again. Once you cast them off, let them go. Let God’s big lake full of love swallow them up and let Him handle them.” Sam pointed to the second part of the verse. “And how cool is that? The creator of the whole universe cares for you. He cares about what makes you happy and what makes you sad. He has a plan for you, knows all about what worries you, and wants to help you.”

            By this time, Billy had wandered over to the bait bucket and was poking the worms with a finger. Eddie, at first embarrassed his grandson wasn’t paying attention soon realized the lesson Sam spoke wasn’t for Billy after all. He threw his line back out in the water and imagined his worries sailing along with it.

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Dear Lord, there are so many things which cause us worry in this life. Please help us to remember You are in control, that You do, in fact, have a plan for us. Please help us grow our faith and depend on You rather than be hampered by our worries. Thank you for caring about the things that trouble us. In Jesus name, Amen.