But let none of you
suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in
other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that
judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what
shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous
scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let
them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls
to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
In 1 Peter 4:19, Peter tells us that we should “commit the
keeping” of our souls to God. This phrase here literally has the idea of
“depositing for safekeeping.” It is a phrase that would bring up the image of a
bank vault. Imagine every month that I get paid $2,000 in cold, hard cash. I
then take that $2,000 and drive it to the bank to deposit it in my account. The
only difference between my bank and your bank is this: my bank is the vault at
Ft. Knox. After I stop at the guard shack and am escorted with armed soldiers
to the inner chambers of the vault, I am able to place all $2,000 in the vault
for safekeeping. As I leave, I can hear the pistons hissing as giant bolting
doors seal airtight behind me, securing my money. As I exit out the back of the
building, I notice snipers on perches all around the complex. A warning placard
indicating explosives buried in the ground surrounding the building greets me
as I turn to walk up the road past the three tanks and a dozen or so .50
caliber rifles sweeping back and forth across the compound. I feel pretty good
about my bank. I don’t have that “somebody’s gonna steal my money” feeling. I
have “deposited for safekeeping.” I can go home and sleep that night, not
wondering whether or not my money will be stolen tonight. It is in Ft. Knox,
that makes it safe. Peter uses this same idea of safekeeping when speaking of
committing our souls to God. He is in control and He will take care of us.
Whether we are facing problems on the outside, or fears on the inside, we can
rest secured in Him. He is stronger than any foe, internal or external. He will
not allow us to be destroyed. He will not allow us to be overcome. We must
trust in Him. We can trust in Him, because He is a good God. So, commit the
keeping of your soul to God, He will be faithful to care for you.
Food For Thought:
What does the phrase “commit the keeping” mean? How can we do this everyday
with our souls?
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