DEVOTION – DAY 359

Luke 12:6-7 “Worthy In God’s Eyes”

Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them are forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Jesus was with His disciples. He wanted to encourage them to trust God always because He knew they would encounter challenges ahead. He wanted to teach His disciples that God is trustworthy. Jesus used an example to illustrate God’s trustworthiness. In ancient times, sparrows were sold cheaply in market places, sometimes for food. Yet, God had not forgotten sparrows. As a species, they continue to exist in abundance. God sees that they are fed. They continue to multiply, despite their lowly status in the natural world. Jesus said that if God valued sparrows, God would value each one of us even more. God knows each one of us intimately. He knows even the number of hairs we have on our head. We can trust that He will be with us no matter what challenges we face in the future. There is no need for us to be afraid.

It is true that when we receive bad news, our first reaction is to be fearful. We know someone who received bad news from her doctor when her CT scan results were ready. She was told that her medical condition had worsened. There was a need to begin a course of treatment as soon as possible. She was afraid that the treatment may cause her some severe side effects. Then, she recalled these verses in Luke 12:6-7 and similar verses in the Bible that gave her comfort and encouragement. God is in control. God is trustworthy. She surrendered her treatment plans to God and asked the Lord to grant her His peace. She felt her fears subside. She became calm. She was worthy more than many sparrows and the Lord would take care of her. She could trust the outcome to God. 

We know someone who made a mistake at work and expected to be severely reprimanded by her boss. She was fearful but she prayed to God for help. When she told her boss what she had done, to her surprise, her boss was merciful and forgiving. Her boss told her not to repeat the mistake and to learn from her mistake. She thanked God for hearing her cries for help. 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for watching over us and for your constant presence in our lives. Help us to trust in You always, and not be fearful whenever we face challenges. We humbly pray in the great name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. What past challenges had caused you to be fearful? Share.
  2. Were you able to overcome these fears? If so, how did you overcome these fears? 
  3. How has God helped you faced past challenges?
  4. How does this give you encouragement to trust God in the future?