A Matter of Life and Death
Walking with God means, among other things, holding to His promises no matter what we face. Abraham held to the promise of a son for twenty-five years before he saw an answer. Some of us hold on in faith for a few months, or even a few years, then we give up and let go. Some trust God for Mr. Right, but give up and settle for “Mr. Right Now.” If we want God’s best for our lives, we must learn to hold on and never let go.
What does it mean to hold on to the promises of God?
Henry Dempsy knows what it means to hold on. He was a pilot on a small commuter flight from Maine to Boston. Hearing a noise in the back of the plane, Henry turned the controls over to his co-pilot and discovered that a door had not been completely closed. It was potentially a dangerous ground-crew mistake that had to be corrected mid-air. As Henry struggled to close the door, the unthinkable happened. Suddenly the door flew open and Henry was sucked out of the plane. The co-pilot radioed for a search and rescue team, hoping that Henry may have survived the 4,000-foot fall into the ocean below.
The plane was cleared for an emergency landing at a nearby airport. As the rescue team searched for Henry in the ocean, the runway workers discovered a man in a semi-conscious state holding on to a ladder on the side of the plane. Somehow, Henry Dempsy had been able to grab the ladder as he was sucked out of the plane.
Henry held on as the plane flew at 200 miles per hour. He held on as the plane bumped and skidded to an emergency landing. Henry held on because his life depended on it. He held on to the ladder because there was nothing else to hold on to. He held on to the ladder and nothing else.
After the plane landed, it took the co-pilot ten minutes to pry Henry’s hands from the ladder. That’s exactly how we need to hold on to God’s Word. If we are to walk close with God, we must learn to hold on to His Word and to His promises—no matter who or what is trying to loosen our grip. We must hold to the promises of God as if our lives depend on it. We must hold to the promises of God and nothing else.
. . . holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. (1 Timothy 1:19)
Henry Dempsy knows what it means to hold on. He was a pilot on a small commuter flight from Maine to Boston. Hearing a noise in the back of the plane, Henry turned the controls over to his co-pilot and discovered that a door had not been completely closed. It was potentially a dangerous ground-crew mistake that had to be corrected mid-air. As Henry struggled to close the door, the unthinkable happened. Suddenly the door flew open and Henry was sucked out of the plane. The co-pilot radioed for a search and rescue team, hoping that Henry may have survived the 4,000-foot fall into the ocean below.
The plane was cleared for an emergency landing at a nearby airport. As the rescue team searched for Henry in the ocean, the runway workers discovered a man in a semi-conscious state holding on to a ladder on the side of the plane. Somehow, Henry Dempsy had been able to grab the ladder as he was sucked out of the plane.
Henry held on as the plane flew at 200 miles per hour. He held on as the plane bumped and skidded to an emergency landing. Henry held on because his life depended on it. He held on to the ladder because there was nothing else to hold on to. He held on to the ladder and nothing else.
After the plane landed, it took the co-pilot ten minutes to pry Henry’s hands from the ladder. That’s exactly how we need to hold on to God’s Word. If we are to walk close with God, we must learn to hold on to His Word and to His promises—no matter who or what is trying to loosen our grip. We must hold to the promises of God as if our lives depend on it. We must hold to the promises of God and nothing else.
. . . holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. (1 Timothy 1:19)
There is no middle ground—either we hold on in faith or we suffer shipwreck. Henry Dempsy had no option but to hold to the ladder. We have no option but to hold to the promises of God.