Hold On!

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” 

—2 Peter 1:3-4.

In the 1996 film, Twister, the two main characters, Bill Harding, played by Bill Paxton, and Dr. Jo Harding, played by Helen Hunt are storm chasers, in search of tornadoes. One scene of the movie has the two being pursued by one terrible tornado, destroying everything in its path. Unable to free themselves from the path of destruction, the two seek shelter at a nearby farm. In a moment of desperation they find a moment of safety in a shed. Only seconds remain before their shelter will be ripped to shreds and they will be killed, Bill notices some water pipes going deep into the ground. He says to Jo, “These pipes go down about 30 feet. If we anchor to it, we might have a chance.” He locates a belt that he quickly turns into a harness that enables them to attach to the pipes. Just as the tornado hits the shed, he says, “Hold on!”

The tornado tears apart the shed and debris is flying everywhere. Everything around them is gone in a flash, while they hang in mid-air as the tornado attempts to tear them from their safe foundation. But the tornado cannot, for they are anchored to something far stronger than the tornado. In moments the tornado is gone, leaving death and destruction in its wake.

The circumstances and sins of life fly at us like a tornado, threatening to destroy everything in its path: our families, careers, hopes, and even dreams. But what we have in our Lord is stronger than any storm. He has given us many “precious and very great promises” (2 Peter 1:4) that we can cling to during moments of difficulty and crises. Our Lord says to us, “Hold on!” which we do by faith, knowing that we are going to pass through the storm by His Spirit, enabling us to become “partakers of the divine nature” because we have “escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

Our Lord has conquered sin and death and by faith in Him, we too are conquerors. He said,  

“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."—John 16:33.

He has overcome the world and given us very great and precious promises. What are these promises? That as He has overcome and by faith we will overcome through Him. It is only through Him that it is possible. Nothing else will do, nothing else can save us, and there is nothing else that is able to hold us. May we strap ourselves to His promises by faith, knowing that in doing so, we are clinging to Him who has “overcome the world.” Amen.