“But cling to the Lord your God…” Joshua 23:8 (Amp)
During a move to another house, our daughter Val was helping me pack boxes. Zachary, their eight-month-old son, was crawling by then but never wandered far from his mother. In fact, he would grab on (cling) to her leg and she would have to drag him along where ever she walked. He wouldn’t let go.
I recall one cold winter evening when the roads were very slippery and our car could not make it up a hill. After several attempts we finally abandoned the car and walked home. The snow was deep and the freezing rain had made a slick, hard icy coat over the snow, so walking was very difficult. All four young children were with us. My husband and I carried the two younger ones and tightly grasped the hands of the older two. They held fast so they wouldn’t slip and fall.
Do those word pictures help you understand the meaning of “cling to the Lord”. Here are a few thoughts regarding clinging to the Lord:
You will have to open your arms and/or hands first. You can’t cling to Him with your arms crossed or slack, or if your hands are clenched. He is there to carry you, but you have to trust Him and hang on.
When you are clinging to Him, you will go where He is going and fit into His way.
It is an act of the will. He invites us to cling to Him. He is the strong One. We chose whether to cling to Him or go through life alone.
Are you clinging to the Lord? Or have you been going it alone? It is lonely and tiring. He is strong. Why not pray the following prayer and get on His back again:
Father, I have let go of You and have been trying to live life without You. I am tired, lost and lonely. I want to get back on Your back and cling to You. Thank You for always taking the time to grasp my hand – if I ask You. Amen
By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission
Further Reading
• The Strap . Dearest Lord, let us strap ourselves to you. Anchor us in faith and help us to cling to your love, no matter what swirls around us.
• Hope Stronger Than Hurt Do you know Jesus is right there with you. Cling to him and He’ll bring you out in due time.