Voices: What are you clinging to in life?

At 7:43 p.m. EST on March 15, 2009, the seven-member crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off into a cloudless twilight sky over NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

But there happened to be a stowaway eighth member of the crew present at launch. Prior to lift off, a free-tail bat was seen by NASA scientists clinging to the side of Discovery’s massive external fuel tank.

After the launch, scientists concluded the bat must have fallen off or died sometime before Discovery left Earth’s atmosphere. Now, there was a bat who found itself clinging to the wrong thing in life, and at a most inopportune time.

The fact is all of us are clinging to something in life. What are you clinging to?

If we are not careful, we easily can find ourselves clinging to the wrong thing or things in life. As that little bat discovered the morning of his ill-fated journey on Discovery, clinging to the wrong thing can have some pretty dire, if not deadly, consequences.

A wildlife expert was brought in on launch day to look at NASA’s close-up video images of the bat. Upon inspection, the expert observed it appeared the creature probably had a broken left wing and an injured right shoulder or wrist.

Here was an injured little bat desperately and hopelessly clinging to what it thought would be a place of safety and security. I wonder what that little bat must have thought and felt when that giant rocket began to “shake, rattle and roll” upon lift off.

What are you clinging to?

No doubt, over the past couple of years, all of us have had a “shake, rattle and roll” experience in life, in some form or fashion. And just like that little space shuttle bat, many of us have found ourselves injured and hurting.

A pandemic does have a way of taking its toll physically, emotionally and spiritually. Although we hopefully now are on the tail end of COVID-19, many folks—maybe even you— still are suffering its lingering effects. Our family experienced a tragedy during the pandemic, the effects of which still are felt today.

Especially in uncertain, injured and hurting times, we are inclined to search for something to cling to, something to bring us into a place of safety and security. What about you? What are you clinging to in life, especially when life seems to be nothing but an ill-fated launch?

We live in a culture today in which people are clinging to all kinds of things—work, bank accounts, popularity, politics, government, power, fame and fortune. The list runs the gambit of the “external fuel tanks” of life to which people are clinging desperately. What about you? What are you clinging to?

Clinging to God

Perhaps this is a good time for us to hear and to heed some good reminders from God’s word. Of the 57 “cling” verses in the Bible, here are some good exhortations. As you read them, ask yourself, “What am I really clinging to in my life right now?”

• “I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the Lord” (Psalm 31:6 NIV).

• “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9 NIV).

• “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NASB).

• “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess” (Hebrews 4:14 NIV).

• “You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and cling to Him. … He is your glory, and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen” (Deuteronomy 10:20-21 NASB).

• “You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him” (Deuteronomy 13:4 NASB).

• “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:8 NIV).

• “Love the LORD your God, obey his voice, and cling to him, because he is your life even your long life” (Deuteronomy 30:20 ISV).

• “I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame” (Psalm 119:31 ISV).

• “I am coming quickly: cling to that which you already possess, so that your wreath of victory be not taken away from you” (Revelation 3:11 ISV).

The Bible certainly has a lot to say about the right kind of clinging in life. What are you clinging to?

Are you like that little space shuttle bat desperately clinging to the wrong thing, or are you clinging to the precious and powerful promises of God?

Clinging to the cross

Russian painter lvan Alvazovsky (1817-1900), created around 6,000 marinist paintings. “Ninth Wave” (1850) became the masterpiece that crowned him as one of the greatest marinist painters in history.

Sailing legend says in every storm the “ninth wave” is the strongest and most dangerous. In Alvazovsky’s painting by that name, several shipwrecked sailors are adrift in a stormy sea, desperately clinging to a ship’s broken mast. If you look closely, you see the mast is in the shape of a cross.

What a perfect and poignant picture of the “thing” we should be clinging to in life.

When the strong and dangerous stormy seas of life hit you—and they most assuredly will—and you feel like the “ninth wave” is about to roll over you and take you under, what will you be clinging to?

Cling to the cross. Cling to Jesus. Cling to the promises of God and his word.

What are you clinging to in life, today?

Jim Lemons is professor of theological studies and leadership in the College of Christian Faith and the director of the Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Dallas Baptist University. The views expressed are those solely of the author.