There has been so many trials and tribulations that keep popping up in my life lately. And that is indicative of what is happening on a greater scale within the church and within the world in general. Things have been going on that have been so thoroughly difficult, but God keeps me. God keeps His people. He is keeping me in His Word, in His Spirit, and in His Church. He is allowing me to be surrounded by prayer warriors who, by the way, are going through their own trials and tribulations. And let me tell you, some of these trials and tribulations that these people are going through make my heart hurt. And yet, God is keeping them as well. Now let me break down the biblical meaning of the word “keeps.”
The Hebrew word for “keep” is transliterated as “shamar” (shim-mar’). This word first shows up in Genesis 2:15, where it says: “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (KJV). This word means “to keep, tend, watch over, and retain.” It means “to keep” in the sense of tending and taking care of something/someone. In the same sense, God is described as the keeper of Israel in Psalm 121:4. But it also means “to keep” in the sense of watching over or giving attention to something/someone. He is watching over us, but in that He is specifically watching and observing us.
Not only does this word for “keep” signify “watching”, but it is showing us a picture of a watchman in the sense of fulfilling a responsibility. God fulfills His own self-imposed responsibility of watching over His people, guarding and warning His people of the trouble that is coming. And when the trouble comes, He “keeps” us in saving or retaining us for Himself and for the better. This word “keep” is such a rich word for us to hold on to. He keeps us.
The reason that I was drawn to this word at this moment in my life is, of course, the Lord. But I am studying the book of Revelation with a group of ladies. And recently in the third chapter, I read:
"Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10 ESV)
Revelation envisions a brief future period of intensified persecution for the church and of escalating manifestations of God’s wrath against those who dwell on the earth. Jesus does not promise to spare believers from suffering or martyrdom to shield them from His wrath and to transform martyrdom into triumph. He says that He will keep us from failing in the hour of testing. In this, God keeps us regardless of when the rapture comes (before, during, or after the Tribulation). He keeps His people by watching, caring for, saving, retaining, preserving, and observing His own covenant. Psalm 105:8 says,
He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations (ESV).
He remembers, which is part of the meaning of “keep”, His covenant forever. For God to remember something is for him to attend to it in order to act. The faithful ask Him to attend to them in mercy rather than according to their sins, because it is in His mercy that He keeps us. His mercy, steadfast love, and grace are what keep us. There is no way we can do all of the things to keep ourselves. Only He can keep us whole. Only He can draw us to Him. He, who is absolute purity and holiness, is the Only One that can absolutely do what needs to be done in all situations the greatest, most perfect way.
God is so very good. He keeps His people. And who are His people? Those that believe that His Son came to live, die, and rise again in our stead. Jesus came to fulfill an obligation that we could never fulfill. And in that, God keeps us. During all of the hard times and the sweet times, He keeps us and preserves us through them.
Gotta go fill up my cup…..
Coffee with Candee 