In Mathew 10:29, Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father. But even the hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not then, you are more valuable than sparrows.”
We live in a time of unprecedented fear and uncertainty. The coronavirus threat has thrown our world into a state of fear and panic, and in doing so has exposed a major flaw of our modern world and it is this: we are a society that has lost its faith and trust in God and cannot cope with a threat like the one we are facing.
Let me explain.
We have recently lived in a time of great prosperity and wealth, but what happens is that we begin to put our faith and trust in ourselves, in our political systems, in our health care advances, in our booming economy. In other words, begin to think that we don’t need God. But the truth is, whether it is a worldwide pandemic or a family tragedy, sooner or later we need to confront our lack of control over events and our inability to solve all the problems that come our way. When that happens we can either look to someone bigger than ourselves; someone like Almighty God who created the Heavens and the Earth or we can look to ourselves which only leads to fear and worry.
Fear has been likened to a rocking chair… it uses up all your energy and doesn't get you anywhere. Yet, we all have fears, don't we? Most of our fear comes from a fear of the unknown. It stems from our lack of being able to control the events taking place around us. It wasn’t always this way. When God created our first parents, they didn't fear anything. They walked and talked with God and trusted Him in child-like faith to provide everything for them. It was when they rebelled against God and sought to do it “their way” that fear took root in humans.
It happened because deep down we know that our efforts are flawed and not good enough. In our pride we try to bury this knowledge, but it is there nonetheless. The good news, however, is that God, in His great love for us promised a Savior. A Savior to put our trust and faith in so that we could be free of the paralyzing fear of the unknown.
And to do this He sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to pay the debt of our rebellion on the cross and then raise Him in victory from the grave, so that we might be forgiven and reconciled back to Him through repentance and faith.
Jesus tells us in the opening passage that for all who believe in Him, we need not fear. If even a sparrow cannot fall from the sky without escaping the Father's notice; if God knows how many hairs I still have on my head after my morning shower, then I can face the day in full confidence knowing that He is in control, and no matter what this world can throw at me, I will one day inherit eternal life in Heaven as one of God’s children.
So, “fear not” and instead, trust in the Lord. In Jesus Christ we need not fear the unknown because we know how our story ends. For even if all our possessions and even life itself be lost, nothing can take away the eternal life that is ours through faith in Jesus Christ: Not now... not ever! Amen.
