I love it! I confess I it had never sunk in that there are two “impossible to snatch” verses back to back. Go figure! The double dip is amazing! I could not help but expand the verse to emphasize Jesus message.
How could Jesus be more adamant about the impossibility of anyone snatching any of his sheep from him arms? As impossible as it is for anyone to filch any of his beloved and precious lambs from his hands which would soon bear the marks of his sacrifice on their behalf. It is even more impossible and implausible to consider that any power, visible or invisible, at any time or under any circumstance, could pilfer, trick, steal, pluck, or even snatch that defenseless creature for the arms of the Almighty God of the universe! No way and no how!
The weakest and most frail believer is beyond reproach or the reach of the enemy and “accuser of the brethren.” God knows the heart of the true believer—the one who knows his need or her condition. But the theme here is assurance. I am secure as long as I choose to be secure. I am locked in to the arms of God. Amazing! And in those moments when I miss the mark and fall victim to the tempter—I have an Advocate that understands and hears of my heart and sees the pain that I experience when I sin. The devil may tug, and grab, and yank, and jerk—but it is to no avail, because my faith is in the Almighty and my heart longs for Him.
Is that even possible? Is my salvation so secure? Is my place with God reserved on the basis of my confession of faith is Jesus? I want to believe—truly believe. Lord, help my unbelief. One thing that is brought to mind is that people make their evaluations based on what we see, but God looks at the heart. That standard cannot be feigned. That is good news to the likes of me who knows my need, but bad news to the ones who base their assurance on their impeccable behavior, or their failure to meet that standard.
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