There were times early on when I wondered about my salvation. Honest but scary times. Looking inward to sense my commitment to Jesus. Often weak, coupled with uncertainty and fear. What if my destiny is in a too-warm climate? Where the unimaginable becomes stark reality. No, Lord, please, not there. My heart’s desire is to be close to God both now and then. Here and there. For time and eternity.

Have you ever had such struggles? I hope not, but sadly, I’m sure I’m not alone. That’s when reading John 6 becomes like a healing salve on an infected wound. Much-needed medicine from Dr. Jesus.

Here’s His prescription–‘All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out’ (John 6: 37). There’s more–‘And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me…’ (v. 39).

It couldn’t be stated more clearly —my faith is truly God the Father’s gift to His Son, from one person of the Godhead to another. My coming to Jesus has been prompted. Nudged along. Drawn and moved in my Lord’s direction. So, go with the flow. Accept what’s happened with joy and confidence. In other words, believe already!

When Jesus says in verse 37 that ‘I will never cast out,’ He uses a biblical Greek phrase worth noting. It does translate as ‘never’, but with a much stronger force. ‘Never’ is two Greek words, which emphatically mean ‘no way’, ‘not a chance’, ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’, and ‘not on your life’. Basically, ain’t gonna happen!

What won’t? If we’re ‘in Christ’, we’re in. Period. When it comes to God the Son, what’s given Him, He keeps. He never gives it away. His Father has a no-return policy.

Now the operative word is ‘if’. If we trust Jesus. If we believe in Him. If we open our hearts to the Lord, receiving His gift of new life and forgiveness with thankfulness and commitment. ‘If’.

When we’re wrestling with whether we’re in or out, wanting to make sure we’re His, then most likely we are. His, that is. However, it’s when someone walks away from Jesus, vowing to never look back, wanting nothing more to do with Him, would rather go to hell than be with some god-type or his goody two-shoes, holier-than-thou types, then sadly, the opposite is true. Not ‘in Christ’. Never has been.

I relish Jesus’ words in John 6, hanging onto them. His lifeline to little old me. An eternal lifebuoy ring tossed to one who can’t swim. Me. I need His reassurance. To be ‘in’ and His always. Just me?

Thank you, Lord, for making me your own forever. Amen.