In Psalms we read, "The Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever." In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 550), "God is the Life, or intelligence, which forms and preserves the individuality and identity of animals as well as of men." These words set forth a great truth. In God's universe each individuality, each manifestation of the great creator, is preserved forever according to what might be called God's law of preservation. This law is the expression of Principle, the only cause, which never produced a destructive element. If there were a destructive element, the law of preservation would be void, and the ultimate destruction of the universe would be certain; but God never made a power opposed to Himself. "Preserve" means "to keep in a sound state;" and who can doubt God's willingness and ability to keep His creation, including man, eternally whole, immutable, unblemished?
But, one may ask, how can this be true when we seem to be surrounded by countless evidences that man and the universe are subject to a law of disintegration? This question may be answered by a simple object lesson which is familiar to all. When a straight pole is thrust into a pool of water, the pole seems to be bent at the point where it enters the water. Material sense testifies to a pole which has been broken or bent. Remove the pole from the water and it is seen in its original condition, the appearance of crookedness having been an illusion. The material universe and man represent the illusion of mortal mind. The only real universe and man are the manifestations of God, and are perfect and eternal. Paul said, "The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." Reality is spiritual, and all that is real is preserved forever in its primal state of goodness.
God's law of preservation is ever present and ever operative, and His infinite power enforces it. In reality we are under the government of this law now; it is preserving our real selfhood in the harmony, glory, and perfection of God's creation. We need only to give up wrong thinking, bring our lives into harmony with infinite Love, and strive to have no mind of our own apart from God, in order to be benefited by this law and experience the life-preserving power of Truth. Abraham, Enoch, Moses, and other Biblical characters walked with God, and their lives bore witness to the preserving power of God's law. God alone is able to preserve; hence it is useless to look to any material thing to preserve life or keep us in health.
