Hold On To God's Word

Looks can be deceiving. The trees are bare, yet the calendar insists it’s almost spring. We’ve been through this season time and time again, yet there seems to be a new depth to the dormancy that nature displays in Syracuse this time of year. Behind the sturdy tree bark exists an incomprehensible production facility that never shuts down. Though the temperature is unbearably cold and the ground frozen, there is a life force keeping hope alive.

We can probably relate to seasons of dormancy in our own lives. Nothing new seems to be on the horizon. Just the same old, same old, as my dad used to say. Yet it’s during these times, plagued by inactivity, that our faith and trust are quietly growing by leaps and bounds.

It was late winter, and I had just met with my spiritual director. She could see the disappointment on my face. I felt rejected yet again—a theme that kept resurfacing in my life. She encouraged me to stay strong and hold on to God’s Word—that He has something for everyone; just be patient.

On my drive home, the lyrics of this song from the 70s spoke to my discouraged heart: Baby, hold on to me, whatever will be, will be. The future is ours to see, so hold on to me. All I could imagine as I drove down the highway was hanging on to Jesus as He drove us on a motorcycle! As silly as it sounds, I played that song again and again and listened closely to those lyrics that I felt were meant for me.

Think about it, baby, I’m gonna take you to the top…. Don’t be thinking about what’s not enough, now baby, just be thinking about what we’ve got…. The message was clear: all I had to do was hold on and enjoy the ride. Jesus is driving.

As my daydream came to an end, I began seeing my frustration in a new light. Slowly the darkness faded, and the promises of Jesus invigorated my inmost being through the lyrics of a song: Think about all my love now, I’m going to give you all I’ve got.

I realized that my slump bore the same characteristics as a dormant season. As I dwelled on my deficiencies, I placed more attention on myself than on God’s power. The bare branches simply appeared hopeless, yet they were overflowing with the promise of buds in due season.

As Jesus suggests in John’s Gospel, we, as branches, have one job, and that is to remain connected to the Source of life. It’s really a simple and liberating truth: hold on, cling to God’s promises, remain with hands open to serve, and give God all the glory. The blossoms will come.

(Song referenced: Baby, Hold On by Eddie Money)