“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”
(Matthew 10:29)
How concerned is an all-knowing God with the incidentals of your life? Matthew 10:29 gives us some insight on the answer. In this verse Jesus references sparrows that were used for sacrifices by the very poor because they were so cheap – two sparrows sold for a farthing (the least valuable coin in biblical times) and five for two farthings (Luke 12:6).
The point Jesus is making in this observation of these seemingly insignificant birds is that nothing in this world happens apart from the will of the Father. In other words, He is saying, things you don’t take notice of, or deem very important at all in the grand scheme of things, God takes notice of; and as a matter of fact, God takes notice of everything. He is both aware and providentially governing all things.
God’s will is absolute and cannot be disrupted, even as it relates to little birds. God’s will is God Himself willing. And whatever God wills cannot fail. This made Augustine say, “No free will of the creature can resist the will of God; for man cannot so will, or negate, as to obstruct the divine determination, or overcome God’s divine power.” In other words, God does all things, and ever did all things according to His own purpose… even down to sparrows that fall to the ground.
Whatever comes to pass, comes to pass by virtue of this absolute, all-powerful will of God, the primary and supreme cause of all things. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created,” (Rev. 4:11). “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases,” (Ps. 115:3).
God sovereignly attends all things that occur in His whole creation, including all your actions, all your blessings, and all your troubles. God is mindful of them all. He would not be almighty if anything could be done without Him. The will of man indeed may be influenced and moved; but God’s will never can. To defend the contrary is to make Him no God at all.
- I gain comfort, Lord, in the truth that You will all things according to Your good pleasure. In Your grand providence, even the most insignificant creatures are under Your watchful gaze. Am I aware that You are with me and surround me in every moment, in every blessing, even in every sin I commit?
- What is more insignificant than “the hairs of our head,” Lord? And yet at any moment you know their number (Lk. 12:7). What is more irrelevant than a sparrow? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without Your will (Matt. 10:29). You feed them all by Your providence (Matt. 6:26, Ps. 147:9). What is less important than the grass and flowers of the field? And yet You “clothe” them and make them grow (Matt. 6:28, 30). What is less noteworthy than lice, frogs, locusts, worms and other insects? Yet You chose to use them to execute Your judgments on the Egyptians (Ex. 8:16,17; 10:12); they are even called Your “strong army, executing His word,” (Joel 2:11). If this is how you attend to the least of Your creation, what about me?
- Your Word tells me that You are sovereign over the entire universe (Ps. 103:19; Rom 8:28; Eph. 1:11), over all of nature (Ps. 135:6-7; Matt. 5:45; 6:25-30), over angels and Satan (Ps. 103:20-21; Job 1:12), over nations (Ps. 47:7-9; Dan. 2:20-21; 4:34-35), over human beings (1 Sam. 2:6-7; Gal. 1:15-16), over animals (Ps. 104:21-30; 1 Kings 17:4-6), over things that seem to be an accident (Prov. 16:33; John 1:7; Matt. 10:29), over free acts of men (Exod. 3:21; 12:25-36; Ezek. 7:27), and over sinful acts of men and Satan (2 Sam. 24:1; 1 Chron. 21:1; Gen 45:5; 50:20). How aware am I that You attend me in all the things that happen day by day? Do I glorify You for being so attentive, so sovereign, over my life?
- So many passages in Your Word give me comfort and consolation in all my adversities, knowing that adversities come to me because of Your provident will (Matt. 10:29-31; Ps. 27:10; Rom. 8:28; 1 John 3:1). They come from my omnipotent Father who is able to help me (2 Tim. 1:12); from my merciful Father who wills to help me (Ps. 103:13; Lam. 3:22; Heb. 13:5); and from my Father who will allow nothing to separate me from His love (Rom. 8:38-39). Help me to praise You in all this through Jesus Christ my Lord!
Further References for Matthew 10:29
Luke 12:6; Neh. 9:6; Job 38:41; Psa. 36:6; Psa. 121:3; Matt. 5:45
