Forever Kept

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” —John 10:27-29

When I was a little boy, I used to play a game with my father where he would take a five-dollar bill in his hand, grip it tightly, and say, “If you can take this five dollar bill out of my hand, then you can have it.” Desirous of the five bucks, and eager to prove my developing strength, I set out about my task with great zeal and determination. I focused on his hand, placed my hands on his and tried with all of my might to pry it out of his hand. I tried to grab the bill itself—no luck. I tried to loosen the thumb—nothing happened. I went finger by finger on down the line until I made it to the pinky. I couldn’t dislodge his thumb or any of his fingers, but at last, I had hope. If I just could move that pinky, then I could move the rest. Or so I thought. I couldn’t move any of his fingers. He was much too strong. Not only was he a fully-grown adult male, but he was also a diesel mechanic and his hands were hard and tough from years of use. I finally gave up and concluded that not only could I not get that five-dollar bill, but no one else could either. In my young mind, he didn’t have fingers of flesh, but iron, because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move anything.

I am not sure if my father knew that he would be illustrating one of the most profound spiritual truths that day, but he did. Years would pass before I realized exactly how. After I grew up and started studying the Bible, I came across the passage where Jesus talks about His sheep. After teaching that His sheep know His voice, He said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand”—John 10:28. And then He said, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand”—John 10:29.

As soon as I read Jesus’ words, I was a little boy again, looking up at my father holding that five-dollar bill. I couldn’t take that five-dollar bill out of my father’s hand no matter how hard I tried. I realized that by trusting in Jesus, I was in His hand. I had become one of His children and no matter what trial, temptation, or tragedy came my way, I would still be in Jesus’ hand. And since He and the Father are one (John 10:30), I felt doubly safe.

As we experience the numerous up and downs in the Christian life, we must hold onto the great truth that we are Christ’s. If we are in Him, we are guaranteed eternity. It doesn’t matter what this world may throw at us or what trial or temptation we face or even how much Satan accuses or tries to shame us, God will not let us go. No one can take us out of the hand of God. We are secure for eternity. No matter what! Amen.