Cares of this Life

The crown of thorns that the Roman soldiers placed on Jesus head was something that never even crossed my mind. Yes, it was a "mock" crown, but I learned this week that there is actually a meaning behind it.

Matthew 8:17 says that Jesus "took and bore" our sicknesses and diseases. He didn't just take them from us and throw them away. He bore the brunt of it on His own body, and part of that was the mental anguish that comes with the cares of this life.

In the parable of the sower, the cares of this life are symbolized by thorns. The thorns choke God's word in our lives. It is significant that the thorns were place on Jesus' head, where all our thoughts come and go. I believe this means that He has also made provision for our mental well being. He tells us "Take no thought...." because He already "bore" it.

We can't control what thoughts come into our minds but we can control what we "take" and dwell on. It is the first step in believing His word.