Key Scripture. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Relevance

Most people mum's age preserved jams, fruit, and vegetables, among other things. The jars were sealed to preserve the goodness. The Bible refers to preservation in the context of people (Okay, and wine in wineskins).

Scripture shows who God preserves. It also shows how we preserve ourselves. Often, we think our preservation is up to God, yet it's clear that we are responsible for much of it by applying clearly laid-out principles. 

A substantial amount of our own safety, work promotions, others' opinions of us, and our own state of success come down to us and how we run our minds and mouths. Examining these aspects may help us navigate our lives more successfully. 

Proverbs 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee. Discretion means prudence—discernment that enables a person to judge correctly with caution, particularly our own conduct. e.g. A good man will guide his affairs with discretion Psalm 112:5. Not everyone guides their life with wisdom, but here is a suggestion for you to consider. The result? You don't live a life of trouble, and you understand why. 

Proverbs 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Obey wisdom. The Bible is full of wisdom—ways to do things, or not to do things, what to say or not say, how to say or not say— and in what direction each decision leads us.  

Proverbs 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

When we talk like a fool, more often than not, it is from the base of pride. Our mouths always find trouble due to pride.  

Proverbs 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

The highway we should be on—the Way of Holiness, the Strait Gate and Narrow Way— faces the opposite direction to evil. That means we would only come across evil—that is, lies, adultery, deception, greed, covetousness, uncleanness—if we had taken the wrong trip of our own accord.  

Proverbs 20:28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

We're called to be kings and priests, yet we are only that by the mercies of God. Truth cannot preserve our throne if mercy is missing.  

Exploring proverbs is worth undertaking. In these few, we've barely scratched the surface. But there is enough information here to reflect on. Self-examination is godly. It may help us in life and assist our soul-searching before communion.   

Prayer

Dear Lord, how rich we become when we examine ourselves against your Word. When we obey your principles, they clean us from wrongdoing and place us on the path of uprightness.  

Photo by Elena Leya