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Matthew 10:29-31 - In God's Hands.PASSAGE KEY TRANSLATIONS AND PARAPHRASESMatthew 10:29-31 (NKJV) Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 (NLT) What is the price of two sparrows - one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 (MSG) "What's the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. 30 He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail - even numbering the hairs on your head! 31 So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries. INTRODUCTION When opposition comes, fear can overcome us. But God sees you and everything that happens in the world - even to sparrows, who are far less valuable to him than you are. He sees you and knows what you are facing. God showed how valuable you are to him by sending his only Son to die for you (John 3:16). Because God places such value on you, you need never fear personal threats or difficult trials. These can't shake God's love or dislodge his Spirit from within you. This doesn't mean, however, that God will take away all your troubles in this life (see Matthew 10:16). However, he gives us the power to hold up under the wear, tear, and stress of everyday life, and those who stand for Christ despite their troubles will receive great rewards (see 5:11-12). [Life Application SB 2019] COMMENTARY PEARL If we will but listen, God's created works will teach us precious lessons of obedience and trust. From the stars that in their trackless courses through space follow from age to age their appointed path, down to the minutest atom, the things of nature obey the Creator's will. And God cares for everything and sustains everything that He has created. He who upholds the unnumbered worlds throughout immensity, at the same time cares for the wants of the little brown sparrow that sings its humble song without fear. When men go forth to their daily toil, as when they engage in prayer; when they lie down at night, and when they rise in the morning; when the rich man feasts in his palace, or when the poor man gathers his children about the scanty board, each is tenderly watched by the heavenly Father. No tears are shed that God does not notice. There is no smile that He does not mark. If we would but fully believe this, all undue anxieties would be dismissed. Our lives would not be so filled with disappointment as now; for everything, whether great or small, would be left in the hands of God, who is not perplexed by the multiplicity of cares, or overwhelmed by their weight. We should then enjoy a rest of soul to which many have long been strangers. As your senses delight in the attractive loveliness of the earth, think of the world that is to come, that shall never know the blight of sin and death; where the face of nature will no more wear the shadow of the curse. Let your imagination picture the home of the saved, and remember that it will be more glorious than your brightest imagination can portray. In the varied gifts of God in nature we see but the faintest gleaming of His glory. It is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9. The poet and the naturalist have many things to say about nature, but it is the Christian who enjoys the beauty of the earth with the highest appreciation, because he recognizes his Father's handiwork and perceives His love in flower and shrub and tree. No one can fully appreciate the significance of hill and vale, river and sea, who does not look upon them as an expression of God's love to man. God speaks to us through His providential workings and through the influence of His Spirit upon the heart. In our circumstances and surroundings, in the changes daily taking place around us, we may find precious lessons if our hearts are but open to discern them. The psalmist, tracing the work of God's providence, says, "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." Psalm 33:5; 107:43. SC 85-87 COMMENTARY One Sparrow Scott Kelly knows what it's like to be alone. Spending a year as an astronaut on the International Space Station taught him a few things about combatting social isolation. Among the many tips he shares for coping with loneliness, especially when grieving a loss, Kelly says there's nothing like receiving personal comfort from others. Family, friends, and support groups can provide a net to help emotionally catch you when you're falling. But sometimes, like during a pandemic, it can be difficult to socialize. Or it might be that the people who are supposed to be there, like family, are not safe to open your heart to. But there is One you can always trust, a caring Father who will safely hold you when you rest in His arms. Today's promise begins by reminding us how attentive God is to the details of our world. He is aware of the death of just one sparrow. That's amazing when you consider there are at least 50 billion birds on Earth (some estimate over 400 billion), which calculates to about six birds for every human being. And if God knows every bird on the planet, how much more does he know and love you? "The very hairs of your head are all numbered." Are you grieving the loss of a loved one and feel isolated? Know that your loving heavenly Father takes notice of the passing of each parent, spouse, and child. He feels your pain, for it also grieves His own heart. You are not alone. Dear compassionate Father, thank You for Your comforting presence. May I sense Your closeness when I feel alone. [The Most Amazing Bible Promises by Amazing Facts] CLOSING PEARL The Lord commands us to fear not. But how many of us do fear, especially when it comes to the unknown. Fear and faith mix about as well as oil and water; yet we walk with the Lord, day after day, with both of these operating in our lives. The fact that God knows all about us, even to the number of hairs on each head, should give us great comfort as we step out into the unknown future He has laid out before us. Can you step into tomorrow without fear? Are you able to leave tomorrow untouched by anxiety or manipulation? The Lord would have us grow in faith as we discover what great value He has given us. As our faith grows, our fear should diminish. Which of these is controlling your life today, fear or faith? [In His Time; Walk With Wisdom re Luk12:7] GREAT PRAISE SONGS "Praise" with Christina Dale, First Dallas Choir & Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amCtIAEi35Y Down from His Glory by Larry Wayne Morbitt; Gaither Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvHWT3vXA6c LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Matthew 10:29-31 - In God's Hands. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210517-1111.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210517-1111.html Deuteronomy 31:6 - Courage in Calamity. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240325-0830.html John 14:27 - Peace Like No Other. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20241022-1341.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |