Articles
“Hold On”
“Hold On”
Tyler King
In the early 2000s, Everest: Beyond the Limit was released on the discovery channel. This documentary follows a group of individuals as they make the astonishing trek up the 29,000’ mountain. As someone who grew up at the base of the Rocky Mountains, these kinds of expeditions immediately capture and maintain my attention.
When the team got near to the summit, they were forced to hold on to a rope that guided them through incredibly treacherous weather. The wind was barreling, the snow was kicking up, and the oxygen was getting thinner. Summitting the mountain got increasingly more difficult with each step they took.
The Hebrew writer uses the word “hold on” or “hold fast” three times in his letter. As we dig our boots into the terrain beneath us and focus our attention to the top of the mountain, it is imperative that we “hold on” to what God has given us as a safety rope.
Hold on to your Confidence (Heb. 3:6) – We are commanded to hold on to the confidence “until the end.” Our world and our days are violent against us, acting as the enemy of our faith. If we loosen our grip on the confidence of our hope in Jesus, we are liable to fall victim to the storm. In later verses, the Hebrew writer quotes Psalm 95:8 in saying “Do not harden your hearts to me”. One of the easiest ways to loosen your grip is to harden your heart.
Hold on to your Conviction (Heb. 3:14) – Like 3:6, the writer tells us to “hold fast until the end.” With that mountain top in sight, we must remember the conviction/assurance we have found in God. The previous verse (3:13) tells us that it is sin that once again discourages us from strengthening our grip on God. Your conviction and trust in God is that which can enable you to weather the treacherous storm of sin and discouragement. Moreover, the writer gives an incredibly applicable way in which we can reinforce our grip: “encourage one another day after day” (3:13). What are you doing to be encouraged? And who are you encouraging?
Hold on to your Confession (Heb. 10:23) – the writer states, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” We confess, admit, and acknowledge a hope. It is in that hope that we can persevere and press forward even when times are seemingly unbearable. We see a similar encouragement to previous instances, “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (10:24). Through the help of others, we can be reminded of the hope we confess.
Are you holding on? Have you already let go? Or has your grip loosened over the years? One of the most striking images on Everest is the permanent memorials of bodies who fell under the pressure of the climb and are now frozen into the side of the mountain. Unfortunately, when we look around, we see a similar landscape of bodies who have let go and given up. Do not give up! The summit is near and encouragement from others is here.
