A Well Tied Shoelace

03.06.12

Deuteronomy 4.4 4 But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you. NASB

To hold fast is to persevere. Glue because of its qualities perseveres. Nails and screws because of their qualities, persevere. A poorly made zipper is a disappointment in time of need because it won’t hold fast. A shoelace that is improperly tied will disappoint when it comes loose in the middle of a walk, a hike, or a race.

Holding fast is one of the highest hallmarks of a good relationship. Moses commended the people that day because they held fast. They held fast to what their understanding of God was and they didn’t take the bait of Baal-Peor: the trickery of Balaam the prophet who seduced them into embracing the people of Midian (Cf. Numbers 25). Holding fast saved their lives.

In Romans 5 Paul wrote: Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (5.3-5 NASB) Suffering causes one of two things: either breaking apart, or holding fast. Suffering tests the strength of our grip. And holding fast proves who we really are when no one else is looking… that’s character.

God looks at our heart. He’s looking for the one who’s holding fast – who is stuck to Him like glue; whose resolve is nailed in place; whose faithfulness is like a tattoo: obvious, deep, and won’t wash off. The people around Moses that day had held fast.

Yesterday, we looked at per-severance: being very strict with ourselves in spiritual matters. Holding fast is just another facet of perseverance. Following Baal-Peor was fun for some for a while. But the destruction of their lives as an end-result wasn’t fun at all. They perished horrible and untimely deaths because they chose, like the shoestring at just the crucial moment, to come loose.

I know that the people back then believed God. I know they held on the best they could. I know that not every one of them perished in the wilderness. But I know that they had a different relationship with God than we do. I know that faith is what God is looking for and some of them were faithful to the best of their ability. But I also know, according to what I read in the New Testament, that they didn’t have the Holy Spirit in their hearts…at least the way we do. But the test of who I am and what I believe is summed up in how well I hold on; am I holding fast, or like that dad-gum shoelace: unreliable at just the wrong time? Am I like glue that promises a lot and delivers a little? Am I like a cheap tattoo that fades over time? A zipper that comes loose when zipped?

Holding fast cannot be underestimated or taken for granted; it is a gift of God by His Holy Spirit. Holding fast to His presence is to honor His presence. And the flip-side is: He’s holding fast to us. Father, may I honor Your presence to day in all I do! Amen.