By Anita Mondragon

 

I’m sure you’ve heard the statement, “Life is like a box of chocolates…”  Well, I’m here to tell you that the Christian life is like a jar of jelly….

 

There’s a promise in the Bible that says: “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil.  He shall preserve thy soul” -Psalm 121:7

Did you notice?  It says from ALL evil. That means even the little stuff that happens in the day to disrupt your joy and peace of mind!  This statement also includes the big stuff too.  For everything that comes against you, remember the Lord is in control!  

 

I want you to look at the word preserve.  That word really interested me.  I couldn’t understand why God would use that particular word in this passage of Scripture to explain how He keeps us.  The only time I’ve heard that used is in making things like jelly…it is made in such a way that it ‘keeps’ until you are ready to use it.  You see,  I grew up on a farm during the first years of my life.  After moving to the ‘big city’, my mom still canned and preserved fruit and vegetables and made jelly.  There are actually five steps to making preserves.

 

1.  wash and cut the fruit

2.  sanitize the jars in scalding water

3.  cook the fruit until it sets

4.  fill the warm jars with the hot fruit

5.  close the jars tightly and process them in a hot water bath to seal.

 

That seems like a lot of work to get a perfect jar of jelly, but that’s what it takes!

 

The same holds true with the human heart.  When Jesus finds us, He must:

 

1.  wash us clean in His blood.

2.  Then He begins to cut away all the old habits from our life.

3.  Our hearts are sanitized and made pure by His presence within us.

4.  We are “cooked” through the trials of life until we learn how to stand firm in the face of adversity without wavering.

5.  We are then bathed in Holy Ghost Fire which seals us unto the day of redemption.

 

Just like the jelly is fit to be used after the five steps, so we are fit to be used in Jesus’ service.

 

Here’s a little poem I saw that goes along with this.  It says, “Guide me o Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty, hold me with Thy powerful hand!”