Security in God, By Sydney Brown

Sydney Brown on her wedding day with Nelson Brown!

Why We Need Security in God

While Jesus was on Earth, He always sought to be secure in God; this security helped Him preach an unpopular truth and ultimately die on the cross for both those who would accept him and those who would reject him. Additionally, His security in God caused Him not to spend His life pursuing worldly gains such as wealth, fame, comfort, popularity, and even family.

In my life, it is very natural for me to find security in the world. Recently, I have had the pleasure of going full time in the ministry alongside my husband! Although this is very exciting and a true honor from God, it has exposed an additional layer of my heart that is reliant on worldly comforts.

“What if we never have the money to do the home remodeling we originally wanted to do?” “How would we handle it if we have to sell our home one day to go on a mission team?” “What if I need to get a job in the secular world again? Will they hire me if I have been serving in the ministry for several years?” “Am I missing out on a prestigious career?” “What will my family think of me?” This, in my opinion, is one of the most powerful lessons Jesus preached. It is clear from this passage that Jesus found His security in God:

Jesus Security in God

Matthew 10:26-30; 37-39 v.26-27:
God is in control ultimately. He sees everything and will expose everything, either in this life or on judgement day. The “secret” of the kingdom of God is meant to be told to everyone, no matter what. v.28: Do not fear the physical/emotional consequences of doing what is right, even if being a disciple means being put to death. The worst that can happen to me in this life is literally losing my life for the sake of God. However, God has the power to bring eternal death. Why should I fear people?

v.29-31: God has a plan for the lives of sparrows. (In AZ, you could say that God has a plan for each pigeon.) Pigeons don’t pass away without God allowing it! They are usually abundant and well-fed, despite the fact that they are considered dirty and unwanted by most. To God, a human is much more important than a sparrow or a pigeon, to the point that He is aware of every hair on my head. How much more is He making a great plan for my life? (Jeremiah 29:11-13). My life is entirely in God’s hands, why should I worry? The best part is that God loves me to a great degree of detail and knows me better than I know myself. He is the best “person” to plan out my life, even if it’s not what I would have planned for myself.

Security in God not Family

v.37: Jesus wants us to love Him more than we do our physical families. Why is it tempting for me to love my physical family more? Usually, my physical family makes me feel like I belong somewhere. Generally, my physical family has provided for my basic needs, taken care of me when I was in trouble, taught me my character, etc. As much as I can acknowledge the good in our families and express gratitude, Jesus wants me to understand that ultimately God is my Father; therefore, it was through God that my family took care of me in the first place, and it is God who loves me even more and who has given me the greatest gift – salvation. God will always accept me when I do what is right.

v.38-39: “Losing my life” for God is a guarantee that I will find eternal life in heaven. “Losing my life” to me is ultimately surrendering control. If I were doing the planning, I would save as much money as possible, pursue as prestigious of a career as I could, be fit, invest in my passions, etc. I would spend my entire life trying to control my own well being and making myself as comfortable as possible. Ironically, I am finding that I “find” more life when I give up my plans for God. I am less anxious, less entitled, and ultimately happier because I am living for someone who loves me deeply and I don’t have to take control. The truth is, I can’t control my own well-being anyway, so trying to assume control makes me feel broken.

I would like to imitate Jesus in this way. He entrusted His entire life to God, even if it meant doing something He didn’t want to do. (Matthew 26:36-39). But the results were life-changing for many and ultimately brought Him the deep joy of being in a relationship with those who make Him Lord (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is an amazing example of someone who was completely secure in God’s will for His life.

Questions:

Is my security coming from God? If not, what am I getting my security from?
Am I in touch with God’s love for me? If not, why not?

This “Holiday Quiet Times” series was written for the month of December 2020. Brothers and sisters from the Phoenix and Tucson churches contributed these various daily devotionals. You can download the PDF packet here: “2020 Holiday Quiet Times.“