Even the very hairs of your head have all been numbered!

(Don Fortner)

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head have all been numbered! So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

With these words our Lord Jesus Christ assures us that none of God's elect shall ever be in any real danger or suffer any real harm, for we are under the special care and protection of God Himself.

I see six things in this sentence which are a constant source of peace and encouragement to me.

The blessed fact of divine predestination
Before the world began, our heavenly Father counted up and ordained the number of hairs that were to be upon your head at this very moment! That is meticulous predestination. What does it tell us? God's sovereign purpose of grace in predestination includes all that we do and experience.

A comforting assurance of divine providence
The primary intent of the text is to show us our Father's constant rule of all things. A sparrow cannot fall to the ground, nor can a hair fall from your head, without your Father's eternal decree in predestination and His direction in providence.

Our heavenly Father's divine knowledge of all things concerning us
Our God, who predestined all things and rules all things, knows all things. We are so well known by God that He has even numbered the hairs of our heads. "Your Father knows." We need no other comfort. The Lord's knowledge of us is constant and entire. His knowledge of us is the knowledge of a tender, sympathetic Father.

Our Father's constant, divine care
He who takes the trouble to number the hairs of our heads must surely care for us. We are the apple of His eye. Cast all your care upon Him, for "He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

The honor and divine esteem God has for us
God has numbered our hairs because He values them. He holds us in honor and esteem above all the people of the world because of His gracious purpose toward us in Christ (Isaiah 43:3-5; 1 John 4:9-11).

The promise of divine protection
The hairs of our head are all numbered because our God intends that, "Not a hair of your head shall perish."

Trials are certain.
Temptations are sure.
Tribulations are constant in this evil world.

But there is no cause for fear, for "The very hairs of your head are all numbered!"