Steadfast Love: My Soul Clings to You

Psalm 63:1-8; Luke 13:1-9

“My soul clings to You; Your right hand takes hold of me.” Psalms 63:8

The most significant lesson of Lent is to deepen our relationship with God through sobriety, penitence, devotion, and the renewal of our spiritual lives. Since the beginning of Lent, our theme and focus have been on recognizing God's steadfast love as a guide and protector. Today, our goal is to encourage one another to reflect on what we hold onto during life's changes. Psalm 63 prompts us to consider where we find security and sustenance when we feel desperate, disillusioned, or in danger. When we are threatened and alone, we need food, water, shelter, and a supportive community. However, beneath these basic needs is something even more essential: God.

David wrote Psalm 63 while he was in the wilderness of Judah, fleeing from his enemies. This could have been during his flight from Saul or while he was hiding from his rebellious son Absalom. In this psalm, particularly in verse 8, David expresses a profound spiritual thirst and longing for God amidst physical and spiritual trials. He says, “My soul clings to you,” highlighting the deep relationship and connection he cultivated with God during both peaceful times of prosperity and periods of serious danger.

The Hebrew word for “clings” can be translated as “to stick to” or “to follow closely.” David was not merely waiting for God’s deliverance; he was actively pursuing God, clinging to Him with every fiber of his being. He had no doubt that in moments of weakness, God’s right hand would uphold him and provide the strength he needed to persevere. David concludes that God's hand is not short, and His arm is not weak. God is holding him securely. The ground beneath him may give way, the support systems he relied on may collapse, and those he thought were on his side might actually be against him, but God is capable of keeping him steady.

This morning, I want to ask you: "To whom or what do you cling? How do you find security, confidence, and a sense of home in God?" Clinging is a reciprocal action. What you cling to will also cling to you. Think about a ladder that helps us reach heights we couldn't achieve on our own. We trust that the ladder can support us, but we must also hold onto it to avoid falling.

The first lesson we can learn from the ladder is that it will hold you. Moses learned this lesson when he was rejected by everyone else; it was God who held him up. God stood by him when he was spoken of poorly by his own family. Noah learned that, even when others doubted him, God would flood him with support. Job discovered that when everything around him fell apart, God would still be there to sustain him. Joseph experienced this as well; while others plotted his downfall, God was, in fact, plotting his promotion. Gideon learned that when he was outnumbered, God would confuse his enemies and hand them over to him.

In the New Testament, the disciples discovered that even when they could not see Jesus, they could trust Him to hold them securely. Paul learned that even while he suffered from a persistent thorn in his side, God's ladder of grace was still more than sufficient for him.

So, David was right! Unquestionably the ladder - God can hold us. I believe that God has proven Himself to us in many ways, demonstrating His ability and capability to sustain, heal, and provide for us. Hasn't God been there for us through every unexpected turn, unwanted experience, unplanned twist, and gut-wrenching moment? Haven't we come to realize that God is faithful, upholding us securely with the strength of His right arm? It/s not that God can, but He will hold us.

If that is the case, then the second important lesson from the Ladder is what David teaches us when he begins his Psalm by saying, "I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely" that "We must cling to be clung." Notice that David doesn't question God's ability to hold us. Instead, he emphasizes that we have a role to play in this relationship.

We loudly and proudly attribute our ability to cling to God, but I wonder if we need to take a moment to acknowledge that we have a role to play. We have a responsibility to hold on to Him. The ladder can support us, but it doesn’t hold us up if we don’t cling to it. The ladder has the capacity and capability to hold us. We can't blame the ladder for our fall, demise, pain, or agony if we are not holding on tightly. I wonder if we truly cling to God as if our lives depended on him.

Remember that I mentioned Job, who, despite his losses, still trusted God, saying, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!" The devil was not after Job’s material possessions but sought to undermine Job's commitment to God. Keep in mind that your commitment reflects what you truly hold onto. Many trust in everything except God yet expect Him to support and provide for them when necessary. My question to you this morning is whether you are clinging to God or to other entities that may lack the ability to sustain you during difficult times. Are you depending on your possessions, relationships, location, or financial security?

I am held because I hold. I cling to God because I want to be embraced by Him. I am holding on to God because I desire to be held by Him. Clinging is a two-way street; not all the responsibility for holding falls on God alone. If we do our part, He will do His part! He is more than capable of supporting us. Some of us long to be held, yet we do not commit to holding on. Many of us stumble not because the support was lacking but simply because we weren't holding on tightly enough. Are we truly clinging to the One eager to hold on to us? 

During this Lenten season, let your soul cling to the Lord. Trust in Him completely for yourself and your household. While others may rely on worldly things, place your trust solely in the Lord. Let us affirm together, “On Christ, the solid Rock we stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”