Introduction
The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
There is grace for everything worthwhile in this world. Grace is an unmerited favour. God chose to preserve the life of Moses in Egypt so that the “Boy Moses” can be a deliverer of God’s people. The children of Israel who hitherto enjoyed special privileges when their own son (Joseph) was a power broker in Egypt lost out. There arose a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph.
What does the word preservation really mean? According to the King James Version dictionary preservation means “The act of preserving or keeping safe; the act of keeping from injury, destruction or decay; as the preservation of life the preservation of buildings from fire or decay.”
Requirements for divine preservation
Given the history of those that will be cited in this article, there are requirements for enjoying God’s preservation.
a. Anyone who desires preservation or protection of God should have unbroken relationship with God and live under the covenant. Living within God’s covenant means, staying within God’s radar coverage. If someone chooses to live a riotous life and fails to have relationship with his Creator, such an individual exposes himself to grave danger. He is a candidate for Satan’s enrolment.
b. A life of obedience is required for one to secure God’s protection. Our forebears – Adam and Eve chose to obey a stranger to the covenant that God had with them, and so it was easy for Satan to hoodwink them to fall victims of his deception. When God was calling Adam, he refused to take responsibility God has given to him. Adam found it convenient to put the blame at the doorstep of his wife, Eve. Of course, Adam and his wife had to be driven from the precious Garden where they have had sweet relationship with their Creator. They were exposed more to vagaries of harsh weather conditions as well as need to labour before food could be put on the table. Adam and Even had to contend with lions and other dangerous animals of the forest. From that moment they fell out of favour with God. They lost the sweet communion with God. Adam and Eve had to rely on human instincts to keep them out of harm. They chose to be wise in human sense but foolish in the sight of God.
c. Candidates of God’s preserving grace prefer to lay down their lives rather than compromise on the word of God. If we succumb to external pressures, we are unwittingly destroying our defence mechanism, thus making it easy for the enemy to attack.
Examples from the scriptures
Daniel’s Life was preserved in the den of lions as recorded in Daniel Chapter 6. Daniel was one out of many Hebrew boys that were in captivity in Babylon. They chose to be righteous and not defile themselves. The devil and his agents were never happy with Daniel’s meteoric rise while in slavery. The grace of God was in the life of Daniel.
However, the enemy set trap for Daniel thinking that he would deny God, but Daniel never did. Daniel is not one to be harassed or threatened when it comes to the issue of his faith. David knew that the King’s decree contradicts Divine Law as represented by the Ten Commandments stated in Exodus 20.
They cunningly made the King to sign a decree that would make it a criminal offence punishable by death, if within 30 days anyone offers prayers to any “god” except to the King Darius. Before this time, Daniel had been promoted as Governor-General, having been able to interpret the King’s dreams. It was never the intention of the King to put Daniel’s life in jeopardy, but having signed the decree, his hands were tied.
Daniel came out of the den unhurt. God had sent his angels ahead to shut the mouth of the lions. The lions did not see Daniel as a prey that could be devoured. Readers should note that Daniel did not go to the lion’s den to test God’s power. It was circumstances that took him there and he had to put all his trust in God. When your life is preserved by God, men will give praises to your God. Read what the King said when he saw the preserving power of God:
“I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” Daniel 6:26-27
Paul escaped snake bite
Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. This incident happened after Paul escaped unhurt from a shipwreck. (Acts 27:28 – 28:1-3) on an island in the Mediterranean, the modern Malta. Here the ship in which Paul was being conveyed a prisoner to Rome was wrecked. For a moment, the people of the Island, who were Greeks had concluded that Paul was a sinner and that his sin had caught up with him. Because of divine immunity, Paul shook the snake off his hand unhurt. The Islanders changed their mind and in utter surprise concluded that Paul was a god of some sort that came to them in the likeness of a man. God subsequently used him to perform a healing miracle.
Conclusion
No doubt God’s power protects and preserves in period of danger. We should learn to put our trust in God.
A call to take a decision
Beloved, have you entered into personal relationship with Jesus Christ by accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour? If you have not, you need to do so without delay. Inviting and accepting Jesus Christ into your life is the beginning of a glorious and eternally rewarding relationship with God, your Creator. It is a decision you can never regret as you walk with Him faithfully and consistently for the rest of your life. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ today by acknowledging that you are a sinner. God sent Jesus Christ to die for you and as you confess your sins to Him, He will forgive you so that you will not have to be punished for the same. Ask Jesus Christ to cleanse our with His precious blood, deliver you from sin and Satan and empower you by the Holy Spirit to henceforth live above sin and live totally for God from now on. You can write and share your testimony via [email protected]