Cling On

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

James 4:8


The first time I heard the word Klingon it was when a couple of my childhood friends were talking about a new show on television that had just come out called, “Star Trek”. Klingons were swarthy humanoids characterized by prideful ruthlessness and brutality, pretty much the exact opposite of what the Lord has in mind when we are called to “cling on”. The words “Klingon” and “Cling on” might sound alike but the Klingons in Star Trek practiced feudalism and authoritarianism whereas a person who seeks to “cling on” practices unity and community.

In the King James Version of the Bible the word “continue” is translated as the word “cleave”. I find that word interesting because for many when we think of the word “cleave” we think of a wedding ceremony where the minister might read from the Bible where it says in Genesis 2:24, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

The word “continue” is used all throughout the Bible to remind us that when we face trials and hardship to not look to jump ship but instead “cleave”, to hold on tighter not let go. 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter on “love” in our bible says, “love suffers long” meaning love continues even when it hurts. Love doesn’t depart when there is pain but actually draws closer. That is so unnatural as when anyone hurts we usually will do anything to get away from the pain and yet we find God telling us to embrace it instead. Why would God call us to continue in things that bring us pain rather than seek to eliminate it? What purpose could there possibly be in “continuing” in pain and suffering? In a word, oneness. Shared experiences have a way of uniting us rather than divide us.

Know this today, regardless of what you are going through, no matter how painful the situation you may be dealing with at the moment you have a promise from God. God says He will never leave us nor forsake us and that nothing, not even the most painful of life’s circumstances can push Him away. God promises to be with you in life’s most difficult moments. When everyone else in the world walks away God says He will draw close to you, He will cleave to you, He will cling on to you and continue with you as He will never let you go.

Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon was witness that the Lord is with us in the fire as when he had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into the furnace there was a fourth man there with them, the Lord Himself was right by their side. And the Bible tells us they weren’t huddled up in the corner trying to avoid the flames but rather they were walking in the midst of them. What was true then is true today too as God is the same yesterday, today and forever! When you find yourself in the midst of a trial, don’t look for an escape, don’t huddle in fear but rather, look to the Lord. Experience the presence of God in a way that we can’t know it otherwise. Continue in Jesus, cling on to Him.


“Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”

Romans 12:9

I LOVE YOU!  




Michael Osthimer

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