Hold – to restrain from escape; to retain; to maintain, as an opinion; not to give way or part.
Hold fast – keep believing something; hold your position; fix your gaze; not to lose sight of.
The phrase “hold fast” is used many times in the scriptures. For example, in relation to “hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV), “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering” (Heb 10:23 ESV), “hold fast the pattern of sound words…in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13 NKJV), “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11 ESV) and “…hold fast what you have until I come” (Revelation 2:25 ESV).
Other biblical translations for the above verses use grip, grasp, cling to and hold tightly. All synonyms that clearly suggest that there are strong forces that will want to take away that which has been given to us. Our faith in Christ. We are not only admonished by the likes of Paul when he wrote to Timothy and Titus, but even Jesus told the churches to hold fast until He returned .
In writing today’s post, I wondered if I truly knew what holding fast means? Yes, I know it means to hold on tightly to God no matter what. But those three little words can often be the problem. They mean trusting that God is good and in control and on your side. Even in the worst of all worst-case scenarios. When everything points to the contrary.
There are many examples of people who held fast onto their confession of hope and trust in God in the bible, not least the persecuted and martyred apostles but none sums it up best for me than the story of Job.
A blameless and upright man, through no fault of his own, he was attacked by Satan and lost all his children, businesses, money and his health (Job 1). So stricken was he with painful boils and erupting sores, that he had to use broken pottery to scrape his skin (Job 2:9), presumably to alleviate his intense itch and discomfort. This condition lasted for months (Job 7:3). He was so despondent and miserable that he longed even for death (Job 3:21).
Incredulously in all this, he did not turn his back on God.
Even his wife, who must also have been grieving their terrible loss, turned to him and said, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die”. (Job 2:9 ESV). Yet, he held fast his faith in God and refused to blame Him.
Would I have held on as tightly as he did, if I was in his shoes? This question made me squirm as I examined myself.
But in my research for this post, to my surprise, I discovered something called a “holdfast”.
In woodwork as in life, things can get very shaky and so a holdfast serves as a clamp to hold a workpiece firmly to the workbench. Likewise, the storms of life can knock us off our feet and cause us to loosen our grip on the very thing that’ll save us. God.
The good news though is that I also discovered that God is our holdfast! Jude 1:24 (AMP) says, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight”.
Living in a fallen world as we do, it is inevitable that we will struggle with sin, affliction, trials, persecution but God has promised to keep us.
We also have the Holy Spirit helping us, “Guard [with greatest care] and keep unchanged, the treasure [that precious truth] which has been entrusted to you [that is, the good news about salvation through personal faith in Christ Jesus], through [the help of] the Holy Spirit who dwells in us“ (2 Timothy 1:14 AMP)
When things get rough, I pray for grace for you and I to remember to rely on God’s power and not our own. It is He who will keep us upright and help us to hold fast to the promise of hope in God through Christ Jesus.
#God is our holdfast. When things get rough, it is He who keeps us upright and helps us to hold fast to the promise of hope. Share on XThis post was written as part of Five Minute Friday but may also be linked up at these places.
Amen, Wemi. So grateful you shared this term “holdfast” as I had not ever heard it. So grateful for the Lord who is our holdfast and maintains His hold on us.
I’d not heard of it as an actual tool before either. I was delighted to read about it and see parallels with what God does for us. He never lets go, for which I’m eternally grateful.
It takes a lot for me to sometimes let go of my way but God’s is always better and he is holding the situation x fmf #6
Beautiful blog. I think we all need this reminder. ❤️Terri D #8FMF
Thanks Terri 🙂
Holding fast. Holding slow. Holding on to Him.
yes, holdfast to the Holdfast Himself!! Amen!
At the end of fraying rope,
tie a knot, and just hold on.
Hold to love and hold to hope,
even when hope’s gone.
Hold to longed-for relief
that the sun will rise,
and hold fast, firm, to belief,
that no sparrow dies
without God’s love, without His care,
without His gentle hand
to restore them to the air;
they fly in Heaven’s land.
Must it not, then, friend, be true,
if done for sparrows, ’tis done for you?
“Must it not, then, friend, be true,
if done for sparrows, ’tis done for you?” – Yes! I hold onto this always.
Wow and YES! Your insight on “holdfast” is new for me – and so helpful. God IS our holdfast! Thank you, Wemi. <3 (Karen, FMF #7)
Indeed He is! Thanks for commenting Karen x
And Job was rewarded for holding fast to God. He was restored twice as much as he lost. God is more than fair; He is generous.
Your post also made me think of the Mercy Me song “Hold Fast.” Check it out if you are unfamiliar.
Amie, FMF #16
I certainly will, i love their song “I can only imagine”.
So much truth in your words. Sometimes we cannot control the circumstances around us (hello 2020) but it will be good for me to imagine that God is my holdfast and I need to keep my focus and devotion on Him.
Amen, Wemi! He is our holdfast! You break down so well with this article for me: “there are strong forces that will want to take away that which has been given to us.” He has given us so much – but there are so many forces that would break our grip on what our Father has given us! Holding fast with you, friend! ~ Maryleigh
Indeed Maryleigh! Thanking God that He has a stronger grip than those forces x
Beautiful post, Wemi! I love that God holds us fast even when we are struggling to hold onto him!
Amen Wemi. Beautiful post. Thank you so much for sharing. Blessings. (Visit from FMF # 21)
I love your word picture of a holdfast! My husband works with wood so I we have quite a few holdfasts lying around. I love that I will now think of God being our holdfast whenever I see one, which is every time I head out into the garage. 🙂
Love,
Annie
That is so cool that you actually have holdfasts, I had to Google it to see what one looked like 🙂 Thanking God for being the Ultimate Holdfast x
Love the way scripture incorporates ordinary objects to point us to God’s character.
Wemi, WOW. I loved this post. And you brought into focus the reason we’re told to hold fast. We will be hit by strong forces, but when we hold fast to our God—who is stronger still— we won’t be wrenched loose from Him.
Powerful!