Holding fast

holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. - Philippians 2v16


I am not an old man, starting to see it on the horizon maybe, but not yet. In my years though I have seen all kinds of ideas, fads, and trends come and go. One recent one was the “Prayer of Jabez” which promised all kinds of success and blessing if you prayed it every day for thirty days. That wasn’t the first one, and there have been other things since.

Even in my conservative Christian circles we have had all kinds of solutions to the challenges of Christian life and ministry. Yet, Paul makes it all very simple. The answer, instead of whinging, complaining, and crying about the situation is to simply hold fast to the word of life. There is nothing else to really hold on to. The word of life refers to the gospel, and all of God’s revelation of His truth in His word. Paul did not have it yet, but today we have the completed word of life in the Bible.

There are times in my life when I was simply ready to quit. Everything that I thought was stable had failed. All the props were knocked out from beneath me. In those days it was God’s word and His word alone that allowed be carry out. There is nothing else worth holding on to.

Holding fast to the word of life allows me to one day rejoice. It allows me to know that my labour, no matter how challenging, was not in vain.

If I am clinging to the word of life, instead of complaining, my race is worth it and my labour is valuable.

Hold fast to the word of life- nothing else is certain. Everything else liable to let us down.