Hold On And Don’t Let Go…

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into Heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”(Hebrews 4:14 NIV)

Thank our Lord for His healing miracles! Our family has experienced those healing miracles many times over the years. One such time was when our son David was healed of uncontrollable and life-threatening high fevers. When he was a young boy, from ages about 5 to 10, every year he would go through extremely high fevers, convulsions and dehydration that would require weeks in the hospital. Usually in the summer, he would have fevers ranging from 105 to 106 that required hospitalization and special treatment. Doctors were unsure of the cause and conducted intense testing and examination along with various treatment alternatives. Concerns for his life were utmost. Mostly, he was given fluids and medications intravenously and cool baths along with being covered in water soaked towels in the arms of my wife and myself. Prayer for David was constant and we knew that our Lord would bring him out healed and healthy. But we had to go through the medical process as wisdom directed.

I remember so many days and nights just holding David in my arms sitting on the side of his hospital bed with his arm taped to a board to stabilize the intravenous medications and fluids. We had to cover him in cool towels to keep his body temperature from rising any higher. My wife and I would hold him, rock him in our arms, sing praise songs to him, rub his head, replenish the towels every half hour… and we would hold him… and hold him… and hold him… and not let go! And one year, as we believed and trusted God, standing on His Holy Word, believing for a miracle… David was healed of this condition and it never returned!

I held on to David through those hospital stays. I didn’t let go even when I felt like it, even when some doubts and fear tries to creep into my mind… I could not give in and could not let him go, between my wife, some amazing nurses, and me David was never out of someone’s arms. I learned to “hold on” in those days… literally and spiritually!

God’s Word says that we are to “hold on” as well.  No matter what we feel, think, experience or understand we are to hold on to the things of God in trust and hope, knowing our faithful God will always come through!

We are to hold firmly the Word of Life… obeying it, trusting it, believing it and knowing it! (Philippians 2:16)

We are to hold on to faith, which if rejected, can shipwreck our lives. (1 Timothy 1:19)

We are to hold on to the trustworthy message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, knowing that not one Word will ever fail us or fall short of what it promises. (Titus 1:9)

We are to hold fast to what is good, examining and trying messages and clinging to the truth of God that protects us from the lies and deceptions of this world. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

We are to take hold of eternal life, knowing that this life is not the all in all and knowing that what we do here in this life will determine where we spend our eternal life life to come… accepting the free gift of salvation through faith. (1 Timothy 6:12)

We are to hold firmly to our confidence. What do you have confidence in, absolute reliance upon? Jesus is our confidence and our reliance who will never fail us and never come up short… faithful and good… never forsaking and always true! (Hebrews 3:6)

We are to hold fast our convictions to the very end… what we know to be true. To be unwavering and unshakable regarding what we believe about Christ and His Word… to be sure, convinced and “fully persuaded”… established in the Word. (Hebrews 3:14)

We are to take hold of the hope set before us… Jesus is our hope, our anchor for the soul, firm and secure! Never let go of your hope, no matter how it is tugged upon and challenged. Drop your anchor in the Word of Christ, for He is the Word! (Hebrews 6:18)

So, don’t let go of the things of God. Ask the Holy Spirit for strength not to let go and even more strength to hold on. If you hold on and hold fast… Jesus will always come through and fulfill every promise… that’s who He is! And by the way, we learn how to hold on because He holds on to us and never lets us go… “Hold me up and I shall be safe…” (Psalm 119:117) and,  “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not, I will help you.”(Isaiah 41:13) He holds you and will not let you go… hold on to Him and never let Him go!

Every once in a while, Dave will remember some of those hospital stays, especially the rooms with Winnie the Pooh painted on the walls. Sometimes he says, “Remember when you held me?” I respond, “I certainly do Dave, and dad still holds you!” And we both smile…