Do you ever feel like you are just barely hanging on? I think right now many of us can relate to the main character in an action movie who is clinging to the side of a mountain, knuckles white, fear in their eyes, knowing that unless someone comes along and reaches out, they are a goner. And they are doing everything in their own might to hang on! Now I know that none of us are literally hanging off a cliff waiting to be rescued, but figuratively there are times that I feel as if I only have one finger left on that edge and a big spider is heading towards it.
We all have our own reasons for being on this edge – insufficient resources, cancer diagnosis, loss of a loved one, relationships that are falling apart, families destroyed because of addictions, and this list could go on and on. And for many of us – it’s several of these happening all at one time and every time something else seems to hit us, another finger comes off the edge.
But friend, we have a rescuer on the scene. As a follower of Christ, I don’t have to barely hang on because my Jesus has my hand and He will never let go! I don’t have to fear falling off the cliff.
I can hold fast to His promises that remind me He will be there for me. Even in the face of so much uncertainty, I can be strong and courageous because God has promised to go with me; He will never leave me nor abandon me. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Not only do I have the reassurance that God will never leave me behind, I also know that He has promised to give me rest. This rest I am referring to is not the extra 30 minutes or an hour of sleep we get on Saturdays, or the occasional nap we can sneak in on Sunday afternoons. This rest is not even the quiet weekend getaway by the beach that my husband and I got to do a couple of weeks ago. Now don’t get me wrong – that kind of rest is welcomed and needed for our physical bodies and our minds. But the rest that Jesus brings is a refreshing soul rest. It is a rest from a weary heart, a rest from a worried mind, a rest from fear and doubts.
Think of it this way – picture a very tired, irritable 2 year old. One that has been over-stimulated, eaten too much sugar, and hasn’t had a nap. She is so tired she can’t even function yet at the same time, her body cannot relax. Anyone feeling this way about now? Now picture Mommy swooping in, taking that child in her loving arms, gets in a quiet place, begins rocking her and singing sweet lullabies in her ear. At first, there might be a fight, but Mommy knows what her child needs — she knows her child needs rest. Eventually, the child begins to relax, finds her favorite spot close to Mommy’s neck and settles in. Soon she is sleeping and Mommy just sits and continues holding her precious baby. She knows if she tries to move her too soon, she will wake up. So instead, she sits, rocks and holds her child. She provides exactly what her child so desperately needs!
That is what JESUS does for us. He gives us rest for our souls! He holds us close and lets us rest in His lap!
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””
Matthew 11:28-30
One more promise I want to share with you is from Psalm 91. We can be assured that when we are holding fast to our Savior we can trust that God will deliver us and protect us as we cling to Him in love. In this chapter, we are see this deliverance and protection in a variety of ways:
- He is our refuge and protection (v. 2),
- He will deliver us from the enemy (v. 3),
- He will hide us under His wing (v.4),
- His angels will guard us (v. 12),
- He will be with us in our troubles (v. 15)
- He will rescue us (v. 15), and
- He will honor us (v. 15).
My friend, I know it is hard. I struggle daily. I am so thankful that we have the promises of God’s Word to remind us we do not have to barely hang on. We do not have to fear all the uncertainty that seems to be hitting us everyday. We do not have to be irritable and overwhelmed. But we must CHOOSE to hold fast to our Savior. He never let’s go, but He wants us to make the choice to grasp His hand and lock in! And yes sometimes that means we have to make that choice multiple times a day but He is right there waiting for you to faithfully and carefully keep hold of Him – it’s our way of telling Him “Yes I need you”.
Lord, I am so thankful that I do not have to barely hang on because I can hold fast to You and Your Word. Oh Holy Spirit, call my name when I start to let go and remind me of the promises God has given to me —- promises to never leave me, promises to give me rest, and promises to deliver and protect me. In this time of so much uncertainty and heartache, it is easy to be distracted by all the things being thrown at me from every angle. Help me to remember that when I reach out and grasp Your hand, You pull me close and I am protected in Your shadow and I have nothing to fear or be anxious about. In Your shadow, I find the rest my weary soul needs! In Jesus Name, Amen
I would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment with your favorite promise you are holding on to in this season of life.
Rooted in Christ 