He Keeps

“Kept by the power of God,” that is the only safety.

Boy, that’s powerful. Just sit for a second and let that sink in. Do you believe it?

Several days ago, while reading in a familiar devotional – My Utmost for His Highest, I came across the phrase above and was moved. That’s it. That’s precisely it. Our only safety in this world is to be KEPT by the power of God. What a beautiful picture and promise. It’s not just something we hope could be. It is truth. We can be KEPT by God.

“Kept by the power of God.”

These words bring such comfort and urgency to my soul. Look around you. It seems our world is rapidly changing, looking less and less familiar each day. Where is love? Where is joy? Peace? Longsuffering? Gentleness? Goodness? Faith? Self-control? Where is God?

As a culture, we’ve pushed Him out.

We are unraveling.

Oddly enough, we still talk about God and insist we know Him. We share scripture memes on social media. We attend church when it suites us. But looking around, it seems we’ve ignored Him altogether. We honor Him with our lips but our hearts are far from Him. (Matt 15:8)

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

My husband quoted this familiar verse recently and a certain phrase jumped out at me for the first time.

It says we wander; we go astray. Who? Everyone. But look at the next phrase – “to his own way.”

Have you ever noticed that? “To his own way.”

Upon hearing this verse I’ve always envisioned a flock of sheep wandering aimlessly, cluelessly falling into dangerous pits they didn’t see. 

But what about the phrase “to his own way?”

The Israelites, God’s chosen people, were the poster children for “intentional wandering.” They wandered in rebellion. They wandered in grumbling and complaint, they wandered to idols, desiring the things of God APART from God.  

How did that turn out for them? Those who have read about their forty years in the desert know it didn’t turn out well. Had God not shown them mercy, none would have survived.

And, look around. What do we see? Rebellion? grumbling? complaining? idolatry? When we desire to live apart from God, we forfeit His favor, goodness, mercy, and grace. It’s not turning out too well for us is it?

Perhaps you see it.  

Are you burdened?  

Are you broken? Are you fearful?  

Are you hopeless?  

Are you wearily wandering?..

Because you don’t have to wander.

You can be kept by the power of God.

Kept

What does it mean to be kept? I love how simply the dictionary defines it.

Kept: persistent in, going on, keeping on, carrying on, continue, do something constantly, do something continually, not stop doing something, to watch over, to defend, to take care of.

I could go on.  

So you and I can be KEPT by almighty God? The answer is a resounding “YES.”

Although, long ago, I turned from my sin to salvation by the blood of Jesus and have been eternally adopted into God’s family; like a toddler I find it to be a daily decision to step into His grip and be held. It means I stop wandering – I stop looking around and I look to Him. In His grip, I have experienced the peace and safety so many are crying out for right now.

I’ll give you an example:

My father is in the hospital with COVID Pneumonia. He’s been there four days fighting the virus. Each day I call in, hoping to hear good news. My mother and several other family members are also fighting this virus right now. So, on Friday, around noon, I was the one to take him to the ER. Honestly, at the time, I had hoped they would look him over and send him home with some medicine. But, after a thorough evaluation, they wanted to admit him. I called my mom, and I could tell she was a bit distressed. Understandably. 

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My parents have been virtually inseparable all my life. They have been the ones to teach me about loving God and looking to Him, praying to Him, and trusting Him with the details of my life. What a heritage. But now it was my time to encourage them.

It’s no secret that Covid takes its toll on older individuals. When they both tested positive, they fought to keep from being fearful and to exercise their faith. I remember, Friday night, after an extended wait in the ER, my dad was transferred to a room at Christiana Hospital. Around 10:00 PM, I talked with the nurse over the phone and made sure he was settled in. Then I sat down in my reading chair to text my mom and say goodnight.  

As I picked up my phone, a song came to my mind that I had totally forgotten. My mom used to sing it to me when I was a little girl. In fact, I have only one memory of us singing it, but I can still remember all the words.  

I was probably three or four years old, and we were vacationing at our family cabin in Michigan. The place was built before 1900 and had no electricity or running water. And for some reason, we needed to telephone someone right away. I remember my mom grabbing my brother and me by the hand and walking us up the dirt road to the closest house with a telephone. I don’t really know how far it was, but I know it seemed like a long journey for our little legs to carry us.

Our cabin was very remote and surrounded by trees, and it was about dusk when we headed out. A short while later, we arrived at a nearby cabin. After making the call, my mom thanked the neighbors, and we headed back. By this time, darkness had fallen. Because of the dense trees over the road, we could barely see in front of us.  

We’ve seen bobcats, bears, even a mountain lion during our vacations there, and I remember becoming very scared. My mom picked me up and carried me in her arms. I can remember closing my eyes and burying my head in her neck, hoping we would get to the cabin soon and deciding I wouldn’t open them until we did.

Knowing I was terrified and being a little afraid herself, my mom began to sing this song,

Safe am I

Safe am I

In the hollow of His hand. 

Sheltered ore

Sheltered ore

In the hollow of His hand 

No ill can harm me

No foe alarm me

For He keeps both day and night 

Safe am I

Safe am I

In the hollow of His hand. 

She encouraged us to repeat the words as she sang. Our little voices repeated hers and we sang all the way home.

In my bedroom Friday night, I sat quite surprised to recall that memory and in such detail and that I could even remember the words of the song. I knew God wanted me to share it with her.

I texted my mom. 

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The next morning, I received a reply.  

What a wonderful reminder! I recall that memory vividly. And my mom used to sing this song to me too!  

The truth is, we ARE safe in the hollow of His hand.

We are KEPT by Him.

No ill can harm or foe alarm.  

For He KEEPS both day and night.

Friend, stop your wandering and turn to Him and be KEPT.