The Ordinary Sparrow

“Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.” Matthew 10:29, 31 NLT

Expect persecution from wolves; yet be as wary as snakes and as harmless as doves. So Jesus begins his instructions to the twelve disciples as he sends them out to evangelize their fellow Jews. He characterized what would happen to them and how they should react by using familiar wildlife to emphasize his points (Matt 10:16-42). But, then, a sparrow. Can you imagine that Jesus compared his closest disciples to a sparrow? Flitting around the ground and shrubs as they ate seeds and insects, these little birds seemed rather inconsequential to the daily lives of the first century Jews. Apparently, the only good purpose they served was as sacrificial offerings bought by very poor people. Yet, God knew the plight of even this ordinary sparrow.

Surely, Jesus would describe his main men as high-flying eagles, swift foxes, powerful lions, or tireless camels, but he pictured snakes, doves, and sparrows. However, just as he later chose to ride a humble donkey for his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, he chose the ordinary sparrow to illustrate his comparison of value. During the lengthy instructions he gave to the disciples for their mission trip, he repeated, “Don’t be afraid” and “Don’t worry”. Why? Because only their bodies could be destroyed, not their souls. Only God can destroy souls, and only of those who do not openly acknowledge him. As he assured them that their opposition could not bring eternal harm, he assured them of their value to him. They were more valuable than a whole flock of sparrows!

It is not that they were worth the SAME as the whole flock; they were worth MORE than the whole flock. In fact, the disciples were SO valuable to him that he even knew the number of hairs on each of their heads! He assured them that just as the Father knew when a sparrow was in trouble, so he would know of their trials and tribulations. From Psalm 139, we learn of the details that God knows about each of us. He knows our thoughts before we think them. He knows where we are no matter what the situation. He even created us from conception in our mother’s womb. He planned our days. His thoughts about each one of us number more than the grains of sand on the beach! Wow! Just as the psalmist David says in awe, “How precious to me are your thoughts, God!” (Psalm 139:17), I also am overwhelmed as I begin to fathom the depth of my value to God. It is not because I perform for him, but because he lovingly created me to be his child. Thus, when Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid” or “Don’t worry”, he means it!

Many days I think my life is just ordinary, like the little sparrow. Should not I strive to fly high like an eagle? Well, not necessarily. If God wanted all birds to fly high, he would not have created sparrows! I thank God for these verses that remind me to accept the heavenly value that God places on both my temporary earthly life and my eternal heavenly life. While I flit about in, and interact with, my local habitat, I trust God to lead me to make a difference for his Kingdom. Just as God cares for the ordinary sparrow, so he cares even more for me.

Lord, your gracious love for me, and my fellow readers, is quite overwhelming! Remind us of your daily divine interaction with our lives, with our souls, as we go about making a difference for your Kingdom. Your hand is there to catch us, to guide us, and send us on our way. Mine: an ordinary life. Yours: an extraordinary love! I praise you and thank you!

Dead to . . .

“All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death . . . For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.” Romans 6: 3, 6, 11 TNIV

“Dead to sin, alive to God!” The pastor declared repeatedly during a sermon about baptism. Many people attending the church were preparing for this next step in their faith journey and the pastor wanted to impress its importance. Following Jesus Christ’s example, this act of immersion under water is a Christian tradition that publicly declares a person’s commitment to follow Jesus. The believer is dipped under the surface of the water representing, as the Apostle Paul explains in Romans, that one’s old sinful self dies, then upon being brought back out of the water, the person is declared alive in Christ.

“Dead to sin, alive to God!” Yes, pastor, I was baptized 14 years ago. I am faithfully following Jesus and aiming to lead my life as God directs.

“Dead to sin, alive to God!” As the repetition of this phrase continued, my focus changed from thinking about those new baptism candidates to the sins now “dead” in my life since my baptism. Here is my list so far:
self-righteousness
self-confidence
self-helper
selfishness
fearfulness
self-identity
worry
insecurity
pornography
dishonesty
power-grabbing
unhealthy cravings
stubbornness

Well, I am sure there are more, but those are the ones that came to mind right away. So, while some of these issues I still deal with, the consequences of them are “dead” because Christ’s resurrection broke the power of sin and death upon humankind. Now, I am now alive to God! Galatians 2:20: “I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

Dear readers, have you committed your heart to Jesus? Do you want to let him rule your life? If yes, make sure you celebrate your new identity with baptism! If no, please consider making the decision to be "dead to sin, alive to God!" Jesus is waiting for you with open arms!

Belt of Truth

“Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth . . .” Ephesians 6:13, 14 NLT

It was early May and I was two-thirds through a course which guides the participants through a process that reveals their unique purpose in God’s Kingdom. Each week’s exercises explores different aspects of us including core values, personality traits, spiritual gifts, key life experiences, natural abilities, learned skills, and passions. By that point, we had discovered our own personal mission statement and were ready to complete the remaining classes to learn how to take the words and put them into action. This is when my trouble started. I was under attack!

Just when I felt confident, and even joyful, in accepting my uniqueness as given by God for a purpose, and not deficient as I was used to thinking, evil forces moved in to undermine my involvement in God’s Kingdom. “Oh, you don’t really think that other Christians want your services, do you? This church already has someone else offering the service you want to offer – you’re not needed in this church. Really, with your osteoarthritis you need to take more time to take care of yourself rather than spending time encouraging others' faith. What about your other commitments? You are too busy to take on a new commitment.” And so it went. In May, I wrote a blog called, “Overwhelmed,” in which I shared the situations leading to a stress attack. But, I knew the truth!

The truth was that I was under attack from the devil. The Apostle Paul warns about the “strategies and tricks of the devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms” (vs. 11, 12). Fortunately, I knew the truth of my attack because I read the Bible on an almost daily basis. I listen carefully to sermons. I read about other Christian’s experiences in ministry. I knew that the devil only attacks believers who are actually doing something to advance the Kingdom of God. I knew about his evil attacks from previous personal experiences. However, I knew that I must “be strong with the Lord’s might power” (vs. 10). Putting on all of God’s armor would enable me to stand firm against this evil.

By strapping God’s Belt of Truth around my waist, I accessed the advantages of this first piece of armor - the advantages of having God on my side. God is the most powerful being in the universe (Genesis 1, Job 38-41). God has already dealt with the devil and has numbered his days (Revelation 20:10). God uniquely created me with purpose – I am of value to Him (Psalm 139). God paved the way, through the birth, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, for me to spend eternity with Him in heaven, rather than in hell with the devil (John 3:16, 17). God’s Holy Spirit is living in me, guiding me to God’s Truth and reminding me of Christ’s teachings (John 14:15-26). God leads me victorious!

It is two months later, now, and I continue to stand firm in my belief that God has a unique purpose for me. Although this purpose changes from season to season, and year to year, He still has plans for me to influence others on their faith journey. The Truth is that God’s love for me deflects the feelings of defeat and uselessness thrown at me by the evil one. The Truth is that God is my refuge and my fortress, Jesus is my saviour, and the Holy Spirit reigns in me. The Truth is that with Him, I shall overcome!

Dear Readers: Are you struggling right now in your service in God’s Kingdom? Are you questioning your effectiveness? Are you weighed down by disappointment or defeat? Turn to God. Let Him deflect the fiery arrows sent by the evil one. Strap on God’s Belt of Truth and the rest of the His armor. Strap this Truth onto your consciousness: “For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need” (Philippians 4:13). Then you, too, shall overcome!