Does
Jehovah Really Care About You?
“Feelings of worthlessness are probably the
biggest roadblock that I am trying to overcome.” So said one woman who found it
hard to believe that Jehovah could ever find a reason to care about her. Can
you identify with her feelings? If so, you may wonder, ‘Does Jehovah really
care about his worshippers as individuals?’ The answer is yes! We find
proof of Jehovah’s personal care in the words of Jesus.—Read John 6:44.
What did Jesus, who knows
the personality and will of Jehovah better than anyone else, say? (Luke 10:22)
Jesus explained: “No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws
him.” So, we cannot become a follower of Christ—and a worshipper of our
heavenly Father, Jehovah—unless Jehovah personally draws us. (2 Thessalonians 2:13) If we understand what Jesus meant, then
we will see in his words powerful evidence of God’s personal care.
What does it mean that
Jehovah draws us? The Greek verb rendered “draws” is also used in reference to
hauling in a net of fishes. (John 21:6, 11)
Does Jehovah drag us against our will, forcing us to serve him? No. Jehovah gave
us free will, so he does not force our heart open. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20) One scholar puts it this way: “There is
no handle on the outside of the door of the human heart. It must be opened from
within.” Jehovah searches through the billions of hearts in this world, looking
for individuals who are inclined toward him. (1 Chronicles 28:9) When he finds such a person, he responds in
a touching way. How so?
Jehovah gently attracts,
or tugs at, the heart of an individual who is “rightly disposed.” (Acts 13:48)
Jehovah does so in two ways—through the Bible’s message of good news, which
reaches us as individuals, and through his holy spirit. When Jehovah sees a
heart that is responsive to Bible truth, he uses his spirit to help the
individual to grasp and apply that truth in his life. (1 Corinthians 2:11, 12) Without divine help, we could never
become genuine followers of Jesus and devoted worshippers of Jehovah.
“There
is no handle on the outside of the door of the human heart. It must be opened
from within”
What, then, do Jesus’
words recorded at John 6:44 teach us about Jehovah God? Jehovah draws people
because he sees something good in their heart and cares about them as
individuals. Understanding this reassuring truth brought comfort to the woman
mentioned at the outset. She says: “Being a servant of Jehovah is the highest
privilege anyone could have. And if Jehovah chose me to be a servant of his,
then I must be precious to him.” What about you? Does knowing that Jehovah
cares about his worshippers as individuals move you to want to open the door of
your heart?
WATCHTOWER MAGAZINE MAY 2013 ISSUE www.jw.org
