So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

When I think of standing firm and holding fast, a ship being tossed around by the waves comes to mind. There was once a man who was aboard a ship with some other sailors as a terrible storm came up.  It was so bad, they decided to throw overboard all the cargo they could, to lighten the ship. They had to bail water and hold on for dear life. Sailors took a broad stance, with their knees bent so they could weather the ups and downs of the current. When a big storm comes, they then hold tight to a rope or a pole, so when the waves crash overboard and their footing slips, they do not go overboard and drown in the storm.

This is what Paul is talking about in our lives. When we have good footing, daily irritants do not get us down. But when we have a tidal wave of horrible or hard things happen, seemingly all at once, this is when we need to not just stand on the Word of God, we must HOLD FAST to it, to anchor us to solid spiritual ground. There is a “double stability” strategy (broad stance and holding on fast) for the intense storms.

We must look to Jesus and seek to understand and gain wisdom from his Spirit. Then we can hold fast when all seems to be ripped away. Jesus has the life experience to guide us, he has been in the middle of turbulent storms many, many times.

The interesting thing about the man at the beginning of this devotional, who was with his companions in the middle of the storm, was that he was not able to stand firm or hold fast. Sure, he probably did this on the boat, but in life he had ditched his guide and charted his own course. His name was Jonah. His only escape was to jump into the sea. God saved him, by his grace, with a big fish, but Jonah had to turn back to God and complete the mission God set before him.

What is God wanting me to do that requires courage? How do I selfishly resist obedience to his calling on my heart? Will I be like Jonah and turn to him, or will I remain lost without a stronghold to hold onto in the middle of the storms?Lord, this is such a relevant passage for today. So many of my friends and I are experiencing challenges in life. Many abandon you when life is not easy or fair. But you call us to remain in you and you will remain in us. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬-‭5‬, Jesus speaking)