In hand

In today’s Gospel (John 10:22-30), our Lord continues his Good Shepherd discourse, going over familiar themes:

My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them,
and they follow me:

And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish…

And then our Lord adds something more.

…neither shall any one pluck them out of my hand.

My Father, which gave them me,
is greater than all;
and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

What comforting words!
We, the sheep of Christ,
lie perfectly safe in his hand
and in the hand of the Father.

This recalls the beautiful prophecy of Isaiah (and Handel’s exquisite music):

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd:
he shall gather the lambs with his arm,
and carry them in his bosom,
and shall gently lead those that are with young.

There are times in our lives when we feel afraid, insecure, and uncertain. Sometimes it is simply nervous worry and sometimes the cause for our concern is very real and very serious. Sometimes we may fear personal catastrophe and sometimes we may fear for the survival of humanity (if the asteroid doesn’t get us, then the caldera will).

My Father, which gave them me,
is greater than all;
and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

What wonderful peace in being a sheep of Christ: to lay perfectly, invincibly secure in our heavenly Father’s hand.

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.