Every Hair On Your Head
At our church’s evening service (yes, we still have one!), after the first song, we say a declaration of our beliefs, by saying a creed, or a portion from the Belgic Confession, or the Heidelberg Catechism. Basically these are statements of belief that create unity within a denomination, declaring what we believe the Bible to say. One of the confessions I especially hold close to my heart is Heidelberg Catechism Q&A #1 which says…
What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.
Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
This past Sunday, we stated this belief again, and every time, my mind pauses when it says, “He also watches over ME in such a way, that not a HAIR can fall from my head, without the will of my Father in heaven.” Shocker that this one gets me, right?
When I had my head shaved in the hospital, I was so done with my hair. It was the least of my worries and it was almost a relief, not having to worry about one more thing. When I came home, I started to lose the stubble and it was painful. That was a bit surprising, as each day, I would rub my head several times, trying to make it fall out ASAP, so the pain would lessen. Then I was bald, for what felt like a LONG time.
I was fine with it, until I wasn’t. I started getting sick of being bald, sick of wearing hats, and just wanted my hair back. Like I’m sure every cancer patient feels! But every time we said that confessional in church, I found it even more and more meaningful. In Matthew 10:29-31, Jesus says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.“
God knows us more than we can even comprehend. Do you know how many hairs are on your head? I surely don’t! In fact, when my head was shaved, I realized how much hair I did have, and I sat back in wonderment – God knows EACH of those hairs?
Just like the sparrows, hair has little value, really. But not one hair falls out without the will of our Father in heaven. So what does that mean for today? Our perfect God knows you perfectly and knows perfectly, every detail of your life. Every freckle. Every hair. Every quirk. He cares more than you will ever know! He has set us free from the enemy and the pains of this world through His Son, protecting us as a Father would, knowing us intimately and unconditionally. That part of your story that doesn’t make sense? He knows perfectly well what it’s for. And because He knows us this much and cares THIS MUCH, we can freely go into His world, willing and ready to live for Him.
My hair is coming back and seems to be coming in quick. And yet that confessional offers a whole new meaning in my life, recognizing that indeed, he cares for every hair, like the sparrow. He cares how I lost my hair. He cares that I lost my hair. He cares about my story. And He cares about yours too. You may not have lost your hair, but God cares about EVERY detail about who you are and every detail of your story! He made you JUST the way He has so that you become willing and ready to live for him, WITH the story He has given you.
Are you ready?
