KEEPER

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling.  Jude 24a

Doorkeeper.  Gatekeeper.  Innkeeper.  Zookeeper.  Beekeeper. 

Promise Keeper.

There are lots of keepers around us and what is their role and responsibility?  Well, to keep what is under their care.  To watch out for and protect doors, gates, inns, zoos and bees. 

And promises.

This word keep as defined is exactly what you know it to be: to guard, keep, watch, to preserve.  Yes, it is an important job and one in which not every body is capable of doing.

For instance, if you were to let me in the zoo, behind the scenes and give me the responsibility of feeding the lions, cleaning the monkey cage, and tend to the penguins, there would be mass chaos, and rather quickly. 

But a doorkeeper of my home – this I do on a regular basis and one in which no chaos has every really been an issue.

Same for bees.  We have had bees in the past, and while we don’t have any currently, we did house them for various times here on the farm.  The last batch had a mass exodus for no apparent reason – all that time and money flew away in an instant.  And my husband was really doing this with a friend who is an entomologist, so we were really surprised when the bees left.

What about promise keeper?  Am I one?  Honestly, I have broken many promises through the years – whether by forgetfulness or by not really wanting to follow through with what I promises.  Yikes.  Lord, forgive me.

But there is one Promise Keeper who keeps His promises.  And we are told by Jude that He promises to keep us from falling.

Literally from falling down, on a sidewalk?  Or on a hiking trip?  As the Bible concordance indicates, it is to keep us from stumbling, without sin.  Ahh.  This is what I need most.

I do not like stumbling, so don’t get me wrong on this point – after a 5-year affliction with broken feet – tripping, stumbling, anything relating to my feet keeps me well aware of where my feet are.

Precisely what God does for us.  We may wonder how God does this when we are the ones walking.  It is His sovereignty that comes into action.  He knows where I am going, what I am about to do, and where I will end up.  He is very well aware of my situation. 

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 

Psalm 121:3  NLT

What a promise we have from the LORD.  He will not let us stumble.  The KJV says it this way:

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

My foot will become surefooted in the LORD’s hands.  He will keep my feet on solid ground, on the sure foundation of Christ.  He will guard my coming and going.  He will direct my paths (Proverbs 3:6).  He will lead me because He is my Good Shepherd.

But what happens when I rebel, buck against Him and do my own thing?  I find myself out of His will, lost, confused, believing the lies and generally wayward in my walk with Him.

Did He prevent me from going my own way?  I could say that God does send warnings, flashing stop signs, and He does put up gates – He is a gatekeeper, after all.

But we are pretty ingenious of maneuvering around those said road blocks.  We justify the means, we downplay the warnings, we put ourselves in the driver’s seat of life and we wonder why we end up on a dead end, in a ditch, or worse, in a wreck.

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It is when we get behind the Shepherd, the Keeper of our souls, that we have the most protection.  And we can hold onto the promises He has given to us in His Word.  There are so many promises that it would be a good thing to make note of them – this could very well turn into a lifelong journey with rich rewards.

Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23 –

Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.”

Give up my own way?  Seriously?

Yes.  Seriously.

I am a follower of Christ and with that comes a price.  Self-denial.  Cross carrying.  Following Jesus.  All of this on a daily basis.  And it is best not to pick and choose what I deny, what cross I carry and when I want to follow.

It is all.  It is now.  It is everything.

Not easy.  But surely worth it.

A shepherd anoints the sheep’s head with oil because he cares for the sheep.  A doorkeeper keeps the door locked but when a friend comes, the door is flung open wide.  Our God has promises to keep and to give, lavishly for all – judgment for some, eternal life for those who have accepted His free gift of salvation.

PRAYER

Thank You LORD for being my Keeper.  Promises.  Doors.  Gates.  Paths.  You care so deeply for me that I would be remiss if I stepped away and followed my own thing.  Honestly, I need help because I do not want to stray from You because You truly have the words of life.  You truly are the Truth and You truly care for me.  And I am very thankful.