Thoughts for the Day

Jesus said, 'Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Jesus says "Even the hairs on our head are counted". (I should think he must have noticed how few I still have left). But it's the following phrase that I want to look at today. He says "So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows."

In 1979 I was a Lay Reader and we had moved from Biggin Hill to Innsworth in Gloucester. I started training to be a Deaconess, and in the second year was duly sent to spend a term on placement in a small rural village not far from home. The parish priest, a wonderfully gentle man, had been in post for very many years and he lived with his sister in a large, old, vicarage.

One day I was in their house where an open fire had been lit in the huge fireplace, with some big logs. Suddenly the vicar and his sister shot up from their seats and started lifting a large log off the top of the fire. Apparently they had seen some insects on the wood. So this lovely couple lifted the burning log out of the fire before taking it through the living room and hall to the front door. Both doors had heavy velvet curtains over them to protect from drafts. I found myself holding my breath in case they set the house alight, but a few minutes later the log came back minus the insects and was put safely back onto the fire.

I guess we are like miniscule insects to God, yet He who planned our world, and who cares for every being in it, treats us with the kind of love that the vicar and his sister gave to those small creatures. God knows everything about us, and is there for us whenever we need Him. We just need to turn to Him.

Lord God,
we thank You that You love us,
and that You sent Your Son
to rescue us from our sins.
May we remember that You
are always present,
and that we can turn to You
at any time.
Amen.