What Are You Clinging To

What are you clinging to? Good grades? A publishing deal? Making the team? There's one thing you can cling to and know will NEVER fail you. Find out more at OhBelovedOne.com.

1 Kings 11.

The Israelites have finally staked their claim on the Promised Land
They’ve just had an amazingly godly king who basically thought God’s thoughts after Him
The new king is the wisest man in the world

What can go wrong?

(Well, everything, apparently; this is Israel we’re talking about)

Solomon has everything, and yet nothing. This brings him to later write Ecclesiastes (a definite must-read). But how did this man who literally had everything (just imagine it: you have everything you want, EVERYTHING) wander so far away from God? 1 Kings 11:2 uses beautiful language to concisely sum up the beginning of Solomon’s downfall.

The Bible says that Solomon “clung to these in love.” (“these” was his hundreds of wives) This made me become really introspective and ask myself: what am I clinging to? What things, ideas, dreams, ideals, to-do lists—what life junk am I clinging to that has made me ineffective for the King’s use?

Maybe yours would say

but she clung to

Getting into the academic program
Making good grades
Getting on the team
Becoming best friends with that person
Dating that guy
Going to this event
Becoming Instagram famous
Having an amazing social media page
Making enough money
Attaining that status
Securing that job
DUDE THE LIST GOES ON AND ON! Add your own!

There are so many things in life that we cling to. They can be small things, big things; important things, not so important things. They may even be things that look godly . . . but when we CLING to them we are only signing up for disaster.

Because . . . what if that thing you are clinging to? What happens when you do get it and it disappoints? What happens when it’s taken away from you?

– what is clinging –

דָּבַק

My good old buddy Merriam-Webster says

to adhere as if glued firmly
to hold or hold on tightly or tenaciously
to have a strong emotional attachment or dependence
to remain or linger as if resisting complete spreading or scattering

So, clinging is primarily a choice. You choose to glue yourself firmly to something; to hold on tightly. That word tightly is interesting. This means we are so insecure in our wanting it that we’re afraid it can be taken away. If we didn’t think it could be taken away, why would we hold on so tightly?

When we cling to something, we end up forming a strong emotional attachment. I’m notorious for becoming attached to inanimate objects: programs for performances, pens, old clothes I don’t wear anymore. The interesting thing is that, to other people these items are absolutely worthless. But to me? I gonna karate chop you all the way to Hong Kong if you touch my special papers. *ninja stance*

That last definition is the most fascinating to me. It says “as if resisting complete spreading or scattering.” It’s as if we think that, if this thing we want disappears, we’re afraid we will just disseminate. We’ll go POOF and spontaneously combust.

The symbol up there may have caught your attention (דָּבַק). That is the Hebrew word for cleave, which is what the KJV translates the ESV word cling. (Other words include hold fast, stick, abide, and pursue) Dig deeper here!

what they clung to

“For if you turn back and cling . . .” Joshua 23:12 [clinging to wanting what they can’t have]

“Nevertheless, he clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it.” 2 Kings 3:3 [clinging to sin]

– what we are meant to cling to –

“You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.” Deuteronomy 13:4

“But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.” Joshua 23:8

“My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:8

“I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame!” Psalm 119:31

Okay, so we’re supposed to cling to God, right? But why? Firstly, because He commands it. But He’s so good to us. He also gives us something we can take away: He will never disappoint.

Because, the truth is: you’re gonna make a bad grade. You’re gonna feel alone. You’re gonna make a bad play, get a rude comment, and someone else is gonna get the job instead of you.

That’s why it’s so important to have a good baseline to come back to.

Even if I don’t get into the academic program: MY GOD SUSTAINS
Even if I bomb a test: MY GOD HAS PROMISED NOTHING CAN SEPARATE ME FROM HIS LOVE
Even if I have a bad game: MY GOD WILL HEAR ME
Even if that person betrays me: MY GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE ME
Even if I break up with that guy: MY GOD’S LOVE IS STEADFAST
Even if my parents don’t want me going there: MY GOD WILL GIVE ME JOY
Even if I lose my job: MY GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL MY NEEDS

Amen?! God is the anchor we can secure our life on. He’s the baseline, the foundation, the alpha and omega; He’s the one with the storehouse of grace.

So: cling to something that matters. You can pursue other dreams; that’s okay. God doesn’t call us to be couch potatoes. But just remember that He’s the only thing worth clinging to.