My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
John 10:27-30
I spent a good chunk of my life worried about the possibility of losing my faith. I’ve seen people fall away, and I’ve seen my sin defeat my own fervent intentions. In Romans 7, Paul describes the maddening dichotomy of yearning to do good yet actually doing evil. What if I found myself somehow turning from God, given the apparent flimsiness of my intent? There’s real uncertainty there if I’m the sole proprietor of my faith, of my own will.
Our confidence is rooted in Christ and the Father’s hold on us. Knowing this, we can breathe easy and enjoy the Lord’s peace. We might wander as sheep do, but not even ourselves will snatch us from their hands. We can then boldly continue to walk our imperfect faith without fear of our own wandering hearts. After all, the entire trinity is involved!
The Holy Spirit indwells and empowers us, and the Father and Son hold us as we are guided, protected, and provided for throughout our lives. Think about the role each person of the trinity plays in your life. It’s beautifully and fantastically intricate! I think when our faith becomes sight, we will see and marvel at how intimately close and involved our triune God was in our lives.
Jonathan Duncan