“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.” – John 10:27-28
Everyone who trusts in Jesus as Lord and Savior becomes a sheep in His flock. As His Spirit seals us, we are united with Him. We know Him and He knows us. If we truly are a sheep, we will follow Jesus. No perfectly, but persistently. Jesus gives us eternal life and the certainty that earthly death isn’t the end for us, it’s merely the beginning. These are beautiful truths and if Jesus, the risen Son of God, is your Lord, then these are true for you.
One truth within these verses that’s often overlooked is particularly precious as we navigate the confusing and discouraging ups and downs of life in a fallen world. “No one will snatch them out of my hand.” If Jesus is your Lord, then He holds you tenderly, yet firmly in His hand. He isn’t going to let go and nobody can force His hand open. No matter how hard your life becomes, no matter the opposition you may face, or the suffering you may endure, you WILL remain in the hand of Jesus.
The devil can’t make you and the devil can’t take you. He simply doesn’t have the power because Jesus came to earth to pillage the devil’s territory and then He crushed the head of that serpent on the cross. Hold tight to Jesus through difficult and dry seasons. Hold tight to Jesus when you feel like He’s very distant (He isn’t) or that God isn’t listening (He is).
Hold tight to Jesus in the face of terrible temptation. Hold tight to Jesus after you’ve failed Him. Hold tight to Jesus because He will NOT let go. His love for you is proven by His blood shed on the cross. His willingness and ability to forgive you and cleanse you from anything and everything was likewise proven there for all time. No one can or will snatch you out of the loving hand of Jesus, so rest in His hand no matter what comes your way!