As a young teen, one of my favourite pastimes when the wind blew strong from the north was to head down to the jagged shoreline near my home and cling to a rock.
Don't judge; there wasn't a lot to do in my sleepy coastal town!
My mates and I would head down to the beach, find a spot where the wind-whipped waves were crashing over the rocks, malign each others manliness until one-by-one we climbed out into a precarious position and waited for the onslaught.
It was stupid, but it was still kind of fun, and I have great memories connected to this juvenile pastime. The worst that ever happened was when my mate Nigel was tumbled over the rocks and emerged somewhat “de-barked.”
The waves were never that big. Our lives were never really in danger. But I can remember clinging on with grim resolve lest I be the one washed off first.
Of course, if the stakes had been higher, if the waves were bigger, if the drop-off was greater, well, things would have been different. My 'clinging' would have shifted to another gear altogether. No longer fighting for childish bragging rights, I would have been clinging on for life itself.
Sometimes 'holding fast' is a life and death experience.
"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain." – 1 Corinthians 15:1–2 (ESV)
I'm reminded to cling to Christ. More specifically, I’m reminded to cling to the good news of Christ—the gospel.
It is life and death. The wind is howling, the waves are building, and life is coming at me with all its fury. What have I to cling to?
Hold fast to the gospel. Cling to Christ.
I have no other stand, and as the old hymn reminds me, “all other ground is sinking sand.”
Cling to the rock of ages. Find your security and comfort in him. He will not fail you. He will not lose you. And though you cling to him, it is he who holds you. Christ has no need to cling, his hold is secure. You need not fear him losing his grip.
How does God's Word impact our prayers?
God invites His children to talk with Him, yet our prayers often become repetitive and stale. How do we have a real conversation with God? How do we come to know Him so that we may pray for His will as our own?
In the Bible, God speaks to us as His children and gives us words for prayer—to praise Him, confess our sins, and request His help in our lives.
We’re giving away a free eBook copy of Praying the Bible, where Donald S. Whitney offers practical insight to help Christians talk to God with the words of Scripture.