A Call from the Desert

pre·serve verb

verb (used with object)

      1.    to keep alive or in existence

      2.    to keep safe from harm or injury; protect or spare

      3.    to keep up; maintain

      4.    to keep possession of; retain

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I was listening to a certain Christian radio morning show not long ago and I tuned in just in time to hear one of the co-hosts describing a difficult relationship with a coworker. He went on and on about how unhealthy it was—how even the most routine interactions caused him to respond to this individual with raw contempt. His rambling finally ceased with the conclusion: ‘I prayed about it and had to discontinue the relationship altogether for the sake of self-preservation.’

Self-preservation. The concept lingered. How much of life is characterized by a striving for preservation, by a robust desire to retain and maintain? Think about it. We try to preserve youth, health, wealth, prosperity, comfort, safety, even sanity. In many ways, self-preservation is the overarching credo we ascribe to on a daily basis. We’re more than willing to do the uncomfortable to stay comfortable; we’re willing to sacrifice and save to maintain wealth; we’re even willing to endure pain to retain a prosperous life. And sometimes we do this under the guise of faith, or Christianity.

Notice how all four of the above definitions begin. ‘To keep…’

The nature of keeping—it’s done with motivation and intention. It brings certainty, perhaps security. It promotes stagnation. And it’s something that can be adored, even worshiped.

What does Jesus say about keeping (saving)?

35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

—Mark 8:35-36

He doesn’t seem to want us to preserve…or keep…or save this life. In fact, He calls us to do just the opposite.

But most often, when we meet trials of many kinds, as the Apostle James correctly predicted we would, our natural inclination is to ‘fight or flight’—to do anything we can to evade suffering and maintain (preserve) comfort, certainty, security. Why? Because they are most desirable. And we store them up as treasures.

James, however, encourages an entirely alternative approach. Take heed to his exhortation:

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

 —James 1:2-3

We fight. Or we take flight when there appears trouble. There’s another option: delight. We can embrace the suffering we’ll inevitably encounter, counting it joy. Not because we’re to be masochists—that would fly in the face of our holy God. No, because we can trust the sovereign purpose of our Father to refine our fledgling faith through it all.

God, who began a good work in each of His children, will carry it on to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. The work (sanctification) is, indeed, good—just far from easy. And this shouldn’t catch us as a surprise. Jesus himself said, ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ (Mark 8:34) What about a trip down the Calvary road suggests comfort, safety and security? What here suggests simply preserving what we’ve got?

There’s another word that looks remarkably similar to the word ‘preserve.’

Persevere.

Grace to you, to lose your life, to embrace the refinement of faith through trials…and preserve your salvation.

Voice of another