When we look up at the stars and consider how vast the universe is we realize, to a small degree, how great God is. And we ask, “Can the Great God, who made and sustains millions of stars, ever look at someone as small as I am? How could He care for me or hear my prayers? Surely God is too great to be interested in the affairs of individuals among the billions of people on this earth?”
Let us consider how Jesus treated individual people. Was He too great to be concerned about the joys and sorrows of ordinary people? By no means! On the contrary, we see that Jesus Christ had love and sympathy for every person He met. He wanted to give health and happiness and salvation to each one. Thousands of people came to Jesus for help: rich and poor, old and young, men and women, His own people and foreigners… no one was turned away. For Jesus said, “the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast away” (Bible, John 6:37).
Jesus the friend of sinners!
We have all sinned against God. God could have destroyed us. But when we become acquainted with Jesus, the perfect manifestation of God, we are surprised to see that He does not hate sinners. Instead of condemning or avoiding them, Jesus often ate in their homes and showed them great kindness. For this strange conduct He was severely criticized by the religious leaders of the people, who called Him “the friend of sinners.”(Bible, Luke 7:34 and 15:2 ) Jesus replied that these sinners were sick, and He was their physician. As the doctor does not wish to kill his patient but to make him well, so God does not want sinners to perish but to be saved. He came to seek and to save those who had lost the way and were dying in their sin.
Can Jesus have time for a sinner like me?
In case you still doubt whether God is interested in you, let me tell you about the first people Jesus appeared to after He rose from the dead.
The first person who saw the risen Jesus was a nobody! Her name was Mary Magdalene. She had once been demon possessed. Presumably she had lived the worst sort of life as a result. She was a nobody, but Jesus met her. Why? Because Jesus has time for nobodies.
Later that day Jesus appeared to a failure. One of His disciples had denied Him
three times in one night although he had said he would not. Jesus forgave this
sorrowful man because Jesus Christ has time for
failures.
On the same day He appeared to people who were confused. They were walking, and they could not understand the events which had happened in the last few days. How could Jesus have been crucified? They had loved Him so much. They had heard reports that He had been raised from the dead and they were perplexed. Then Jesus walked with them, because He has time for people who are confused.
There were also ten disciples who were so afraid that they locked the doors. Jesus did not unlock the doors. He just went in and stood where they were. Why did He meet them? Because He has time for fearful people too.
Then, there was one disciple who could not believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead. How did Jesus react to his doubts? Did he condemn the man? No! He went to meet him, because Jesus Christ has time for doubters!
Then there was a cynic, a man who had lived in the same house as Jesus in Nazareth, His half brother James. Throughout all those years he had not believed a word of what Jesus had said. His only comment on the situation had been that Jesus was mad. Yet Jesus met James and brought him to be a believer, because Jesus has time for cynics!
There was also one man who met Jesus a little later. He was a great opponent to Christianity, seeking to imprison and kill Christians. Do you know how Jesus treated him? As this man Saul was going on a death mission to Damascus to kill as many Christians as possible, Jesus met him in the middle of his sin! He said, ‘Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me?’(Bible, Acts 9:4) Saul was converted, because Jesus Christ even has time for His opponents.
And so to the question: “Does God care for individuals?” We confidently reply, “Yes He does! Look at Jesus Christ who is the image and revelation of the invisible God.” There is no class of people for whom Jesus Christ has no time. ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whoever [and you can put your name right here, right now] believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (Bible, John 3:16).