Hold On!

Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.  Proverbs 4:13


 The words came strong, "Hold on! Hold on, I'm coming!" Hanging in fear and holding onto the limb for dear life, the child held onto the limb trusting her father would come in time.

A young teen who feels life isn't worth holding on to because the seizures keep coming. She wakes up trembling, goes to kitchen for a sharp knife, goes to the den, and sits in her father's big chair. Her plans were to end it all. With knife in hand, she feels her father's Bible pressing against her. She picks it up and the Bible falls open in her lap. She looks down and these words spoke to her as they looked up at her: "I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." She drops the knife which fell to the floor beside her. At that moment, she set her mind to hold on to life and her heart to hold on to her faith. 

As I read Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:13 to hold on, I looked back on stories I have heard about people holding on to survive: a nephew with PTSD from his time in Iraq, a young lady fighting cancer, and the young girl determined to hold on to life and her faith no matter what she had heard the doctor say to her parents. Yet, here was Paul writing his last letter to Timothy while in a Roman prison knowing execution was near. A letter of encouragement and instructions to continue in the ministry of God and to hold on to his faith. Paul had survived arrest in Jerusalem, a shipwreck, and years in prison. He held on to life to share the gospel. Now, as he waits for his final day, he writes his final letter to Timothy.

How comforting it had to be for Timothy as he read, "I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day." (3) Paul continues with reminders that God gives us a spirit of power without fear along with a spirit of love and a sound mind. God has a purpose for each of us. Then, Paul writes, "Hold on to the example of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." (13, NAS) 

We can hold on to life, and we can hold on to living that life given to us with faith. Never letting go living and sharing the lessons we have learned. Whether we fall and get back up or we simply choose to live, let's hold on to our faith in God trusting Him knowing life is worth living. 

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