Preserved By Grace

      As I look back on my childhood, I see a dysfunctional family.  While my life wasn’t nearly as bad as many, I endured my share of hardships.  My parents early in my memory were good God fearing individuals.  They practiced what they preached and expected us children to do the same.  But things changed and weren’t as they seemed.  My parents, like many, had huge problems and those problems extended to us girls.

I accepted Christ as my Savior as a child when I was ten, and understood the meaning.  I knew that God was in control and would work things out even though our family was dirt poor and seemingly breaking apart at the seams.

As I reached adolescence I continued my journey with Christ, but during my late teens I wandered away.  I stopped attending church regularly, reading my Bible intentionally and even prayer ceased, except for my grace before meals, which had become habit.  It was by God’s grace that during high school I never once was introduced to drugs.  I am amazed and will be eternally grateful that God saw the need to keep me from those things that would have replaced, at that time in my life, what I understood as a “normal family”; not to mention where those 'alternatives' would have left (or taken) me!

When I consider Job’s understanding of God’s grace I can parallel God’s love of Job, to my own life.  Job knew he was given the gift of life, that God had made him, even when in mortal life his mother gave him birth.  He also knew that God formed him so that the model in view, would best be for God’s purpose.  Even as instruments that could be broken, could through God, be used again and again, because God had a plan.

Job never gave up on God as it seemed I had.  As a child I held fast to what I had learned about God.  It is without question what served as my foundation, forming my attitudes and understanding of life.  As a teenager, I began questioning who I was and where I belonged, since I no longer felt connected to my family.  

I struggled to keep my identity secure, yet God knew.  He also knew that I was weak during that time and would (and could) have been easily enticed into situations I wouldn’t have handled well, if given the opportunity.  It was by God’s grace I was bidden away from such situations.

God knew he had a plan for me.  As a teen I didn’t recognize any divine plan.  I was just trying to get through.  But God had given me life, he had formed me for something special and spared me injury until I was strong enough to recognize my life could only be in Him.

While I wonder (and sometimes doubt) on some days, if God’s grace is as sure and sound in me now, as it was described in the life of Job, I do know it’s solid.  Job was unique and a wonderful role model.  The strength he held onto with all his being is what I want to have, regardless of circumstances.  

Job’s unique strength demonstrates what we can draw from and on, when we allow God to shower us with his abiding love, while molding, refreshing and restoring us through his grace, as only He can do.  As the scripture reads today, “my life was preserved by his care.”  Can you see his preservation in yours?

Job 10:12  You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.  NIV

Photo Credit: God's Grace