SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                              1361        

“Get a Grip”

You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. – Deuteronomy 13:4

While serving in the Navy, I searched at every port of call for a set of tall chess pieces that would complement the handcrafted board I had found in Italy. I found a bronze set in Palma de Mallorca. It was very heavy. Our ship was not allowed in port due to its nuclear technology and we were moored out in the Mediterranean.

Our shore leave was cut short due to a storm that was kicking up heavy seas. I clutched my chess piece prized possession with a tight grip as I attempted to step off the liberty boat onto the ship’s gangway platform whose position fluctuated many feet above and then below the edge of the liberty boat as the seas buffeted us. My timing had to be perfect, and I only had one hand free to grasp the gangway railing.

If I misstepped and ended up in the sea, would I continue to maintain a grip on the heavy chess pieces and let them drag me down to certain death, or would I let them go and grab the life saving grip of my shipmates?

I share this life experience as a metaphor for our everyday lives in this world and our relationship with Jesus. Do we maintain a tight grip on the temporal things of this world instead of the saving grip of Jesus Christ?

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? – Mark 8:36

A Death Grip – If I had fallen into the sea, to hold on to my chess pieces would have indeed been foolish. How many of us today maintain a death grip on the perishable things of this world to the detriment of our relationship and walk with Jesus?

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world… – 1 John 2:15-17

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity; And he said to them, Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions – Ecclesiastes 5:10; Luke 12:15

How many of us stubbornly hold on to sin, rationalizing and justifying it away as not ‘being so bad’?

Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return. They hold fast to their evil purpose; – Jeremiah 8:5; Psalm 64:5

How many of us foolishly place our ‘grip of trust’ in ourselves or others in this world first before seeking help from our Lord in prayer?

Behold, you are trusting now in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him; Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! – 2 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 31:1

Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord; Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. – Jeremiah 17:5; Psalm 146:3

An Eternal Life Grip – We need to hold loosely the things of this world and hold fast to the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our trust, our help in time of need, our hope for forgiveness of sin and eternal life is found only in Jesus. We must hold fast our confession of faith in Him and maintain an Eternal Life Grip on Him.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession; Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. – Hebrews 4:14, 3:6

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. – Jeremiah 17:7

What are you maintaining a spiritual death grip on? Upon what are you holding fast to the detriment of your close walk with Jesus?

May the Holy Spirit speak clearly to your heart revealing to you the things of this world that you need to let go of and the things that you need to hold loosely.

May you hold fast to Jesus with an eternal life grip, walking with Him, trusting Him, and growing in a personal relationship with Him.

Responsorial Prayer: Father, I confess and repent of my misplaced trust in the things of this world. I repent of the sin I have harbored in my heart and held fast to. With open hands and an open heart, I let it all go and I hold fast to Your Word of Truth. Take my hand Lord and do not let me go. I want to keep an Eternal Life Grip on You all the days of my present life and into eternity with You. Thank You, Father for Your saving grace. Amen.