The Hand of God

John 10:22-42

²²At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. ²⁴So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” ²⁵Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, ²⁶but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. ²⁷My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹My 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. ³⁰I and the Father are one.” ³¹The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. ³²Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” ³³The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” ³⁴Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? ³⁵If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— ³⁶do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; ³⁸but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” ³⁹Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. ⁴⁰He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. ⁴¹And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” ⁴²And many believed in him there.

John, more than any of the other three Gospel writers, gives us an elaborate look into the teachings of Jesus. John includes more conversations, more “red Words”, than Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Jesus defines Himself and His followers in sharp detail and John gives us those insights. The conversation we focus on today is just such an event.

I find it interesting that Jesus’ sharpest opponents are the source of great information for us today. His dialogues with the Pharisees are used to bring us great understanding about Jesus and the Kingdom of God. The verses that capture my heart today are 28b-31a.

“…no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹My 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. ³⁰I and the Father are one.”

One of the clearest visions or images that we can have of ourselves is that of being firmly ensconced in the palm of God’s hand. The concept of God’s Hands in our lives is one that runs throughout the Bible. There are numerous verses that tell us to leave everything in God’s hands.  But that which should be first left in His hands is our very selves. Here we find Jesus saying that His people will never be snatched from His hands. No one can snatch us from the Father’s hands for Jesus and the Father are One. It can’t be any plainer or simpler than that. Jesus is God. He possesses all the power. Paul states a similar concept in Romans 8.

Romans 8:37-39

³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sometimes, especially during the night, I can become overwhelmed by the people or situations in my life that can only be helped by a loving and almighty God. I quickly find myself cowered in God’s hand letting Him have all of it because almost 100% of the time I am helpless to make any positive impact through my own efforts. I am reminded once again of the many illustrations of God’s faithful care for those who would depend entirely upon Him such as a chick under the hen’s wings, the Lord as my strong tower, and my position inside the hand of God. No one can snatch me out because Jesus won’t let them. So if you ask me to pray for you - I will. Just know that in that moment you are placed into the hands of God, right next to me!