My five-year-old grandson asked me the other day, “Nana, why do you tell me to ‘hold on’?” As I looked at him in surprise, I realized I do tell him “hold on” and more often than not. I didn’t answer him and I took a few minutes to slowly gnaw on his question and digest it. I did tell him to allow me some time to think about it and that I would get back to him. After all, he’s only five. But, he said, “okay” and off he went.
As I went through my day, thinking about his question I knew he would have been satisfied with an off the cuff response. But I wasn’t, and so I took it to task.
I thought about the significance of those two short words, “hold on.” I began to think about circumstances when I use the term and most times for him I use it to mean; “stop, wait, just a minute, be patient, I’m on it, almost there, etc.,” My grandson is not just only five, but persistent, demanding, and has no recognition that I’m here not just for him.
Before I was ready to answer him, he tells me “Oh, Nana, I know why you tell me to “hold on.” “You do?” I asked. “Yes, you say, ‘never let go of God, just hold on.’” “Really?” I ask, and as he skips out, he says “yes, mam!”
The entire episode brought to memory two scriptures I had read earlier in the week, about holding on. Actually, the scriptures say, “hold fast” but, basically can be interwoven. “Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is the one you praise, he is your God…” Deuteronomy 10:20-21. The other found in Deuteronomy 13:4, “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him, serve him, and hold fast to him.”
I can visualize and hear in my heart, the Lord telling me to “hold fast” during those times I’m most alone, wavering with doubts and indecisions of the realities I face daily. In those tense moments of stress, I look up and tell Him, “I hold fast, I hold on, I trust, I praise, I serve and I believe You are on it and wait. Yes, sir!”
ritasalomon 