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Happy Hold-on-Saturday, friends!
There are moments in life that you’d like to grab, hold tight, and not let go.
I have to admit that, for me, those are almost always about family—Mrs. Sweetie, our kids, and our grands.
Two days ago was the annual Amarillo Chamber of Commerce BBQ Cook Off. It’s a huge event attended by thousands of people. It’s one of the highlights of my year.
Not because of the BBQ, though anyone who knows me knows that BBQ is my love language. 😆
It’s a highlight because of who I share it with.
If their schedule permits, I take my boys (my son and son-in-law). I buy the tickets because I don’t want them to have to consider whether they can afford to go.
Besides that, I’m following the pattern my dad and my father-in-law set for me. I can count on one hand—with fingers left over—the times they let me pay for them.
This year we added the next generation. The event happened to fall on our oldest grand’s 12th birthday.
Not only is she the oldest, she’s also the carnivore. It made the time even more special to have her there.
Our #2 grand is 10 and has a severe gluten allergy, so an event like this would be dangerous for him, even if he were a big meat eater.
But he partially shared in the day because the last thing I did before we headed to the Fairgrounds was help him—for the first time—put new strings on his guitar.
Every time I share an experience with these kids (even the grownup ones), I’d like to grab the moment and hold on for dear life because I know how time flies.
But the truth of the matter is that my grip isn’t strong enough.
I think what I’ve grown to understand is that—though I may think I’m holding onto these moments—in reality, I’m held by them.
That thought occurred to me this morning in reading Hebrews 10.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
57 years ago, I trusted Jesus as my Savior. I’ve been trying to hold onto Him and His promises—to the best of my understanding—since that July day in 1969.
But have I really been holding onto that hope or has it been holding me?
Maybe the answer is yes.
I’m holding on, but my grip is often weak—like the infant hand in the photo I chose for today.
But I’m held in the grip of the One spoken of in today’s hymn text.
The Alpha and Omega, who was before the worlds began, and who is the Source of things that are and have been and ever will be. The Ending—the goal to which all things move.
I listened to several versions of this hymn this morning. Here are links to 3 that stood out for me:
So hold on, friend.
But, when you feel like you’re losing your grip, know that you’re held.
Be amazing today, my friend.
