Cling

It was several years ago. I was working my way through Psalm 119.  It was a hard time.  I was young in this work and some things had hit me in the face like bricks. We had some pretty big setbacks.  We had put our hope in a few people who had let us down in a big way, and we were broken.  In God's providence, He had me in Psalm 119, and one day as I read verses 25-32, God showed me something pretty incredible.

My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! When I told of my ways, you answered me. Teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandment when you enlarge my heart! (emphasis mine) ESV

My soul clings to the dust. In other translations, the psalmist is "laid low in the dust." He is cast down. Discouraged. He is hanging on for dear life.

For me, the Lord used this very clearly, very pointedly, in my life to point out that I was actually clinging to dust--all those things, all those people, all those plans that. aren't. God.  If I am clinging to anything other than Jesus and His Words spoken to me through Scripture, I am committing idolatry. That clinging is worshipping, putting weight on, depending on and even loving something other than or more than Him. 

Give me life!

The Psalmist goes on to declare, "I want to change. Teach me. Show me. Make me understand your ways. Apart from your word, I melt away in sorrow.  When we begin clinging to anything but Him, we melt away. I have felt it. I have melted. I couldn't bear the weight of the dust anymore. The more dust you cling to, the heavier it gets. Clinging to dust brings sorrow. It brings death.  

Here we see a humble created being, made from dust, crying out to his Creator. He repents. He puts his thoughts on God's wondrous works and He chooses the way of faithfulness. He sets the precepts of the Lord before him.

I cling to your testimonies, O Lord.

He was drowning. Melting. He cried out in desperation and repentance. He said, I can't bear it anymore. Teach me. Show me. Be gracious towards me. I cling to you, to your word.  

From clinging to the dust to clinging to the Word of God, he goes from melting to running and from sorrow to hope of an enlarged heart. The hope of knowing God, of knowing and keeping His word, of clinging to Him brings a "broadened heart"--more knowledge and a better ability to know God's will and understand His ways. 

Oh how the Lord has used this in my life.  I so often start off seeking God's vision, his plan, trusting him for every single step, and then somewhere along the way, I say, I got this. I start making my own plans, depending on people, who, though they are great, will eventually let me down simply because they are human like me.  I cling to my home, my me-time, my team, the people I thought were going to lead the church here. And I melt in sorrow when it all falls apart and when people, those made from dust, let me down.  The melting is due to my own idolatrous heart being broken. But again, the kindness of the Lord leads me to repentance.  He restores my melted soul and makes it whole again.  He graciously teaches me His ways, again. He strengthens me according to His word.  He does not let my heart be put to shame.  He lets me cling to Him, and He enlarges my heart.

In his Morning and Evening devotional Charles Spurgeon said,

Nothing teaches us the preciousness of the Creator, as when we learn the emptiness of all besides. Turning away with bitter scorn from earth's hives, where we find no honey, but many sharp stings, we rejoice in him whose faithful word is sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. In every trouble we should seek to realize God's presence with us. Only let us enjoy His smile, and we can bear our daily cross with a willing heart for his dear sake."

We were made to cling. What are we clinging to? The dust or the Word become flesh. The created or the Creator? If we cling to the dust, we will surely wallow in it.