Hold tight...
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful Hebrews 10:23 NIV We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5 NLT
Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance. Samuel Johnson
For years, tidepools have fascinated me. These are pools of water found along rocky ocean shorelines. Some tidepools are flooded by tides twice each day while others are higher up from the tideline and receive fresh seawater less often. The animals and plants that live there have endless adaptations to survive the harsh conditions of pounding waves alternating with water overwarmed by the sun. Predators abound and conditions are harsh, yet life is found there in both diversity and abundance. Like bristlecone pines, many lessons can be learned from tidepools.
Mussels are found in both ocean and freshwater, but today, we’re looking at the California Mussel which is an ocean animal. They are so common that it can be easy to forget how they are quite special. Rather unassuming bivalves like clams, they have two shells enclosing their bodies. They mature to be about 5 inches long, though some are larger. Though a non-descript blackish blue on the outside, their inner shells are iridescent mother of pearl. They start out as free swimming tiny larvae, then attach to rocks, kelp, wooden piers, boats… There are many unique things about these creatures, but today we’ll consider their protein based adhesive that holds them tightly to rocks; it is so strong that science and industry are continuing to try to emulate the adhesive. Pounding waves are no match for that adhesive!
Just as mussels hold fast to rocks with their strong adhesive, Scripture tells us to hold fast to the hope promised by God. Not only do we have God living in us now as the Holy Spirit, but we are promised that we will join God in heaven when we die or Jesus returns. Scripture also tells us to persevere through trials to continue to grow in faith. The world constantly seeks to pull our attention away from focusing on God and living out His love in our lives, just as the waves pound relentlessly on mussels. Like the mussel creates many tiny strong cords to hold it tight to the rocks, we need to follow faith disciplines to help us hold fast to our faith. Our strong cords include prayer, Scripture, fellowship, ministry, and more; they protect us from negative worldly influences and allow us to persevere through even the toughest trials of life.
When life seems overwhelming, hold tight to God and His love, the very basis of your faith. Remember the “ordinary” common California mussel who creates one of the strongest adhesives in the world! Persevere!
