HoldFast

I have a new obsession in the marine life – Holdfast. 

The Holdfast is the root system of many plants like Ivy, where the root is attached to another structure – the plant which leads my pondering today is the holdfast of the seaweed.

From childhood these long ropes found washed ashore were fascinating. We could jump on the bulb at the end and squirt unsuspecting friends, joyful with the sound of the pop. Use the parts for whips, ropes, climbing tools.  At one time we even brought them home, sliced them open flat and made sea baskets out of them.  Beautiful by the way.

My pondering today isn’t so much as a walk down memory lane, but an urgency of how to go forward into the future.  

The HoldFast’s job is to latch on to a rock or structure, and hold on to that rock for all its worth. As tides ebb and flow, through storm systems and changing currents, the holdfast stays firm.  Attached.  Bound.  If you have ever tried to pull the rock off of a clump of seaweed, or pull the seaweed from a tide pool – you know that you’ll sooner rip the seaweed apart than get it unlatched.

Which follows the trail to commitment.  What are you heldfast to? What sort of storms would come our way that would rip us apart?  Even in the holdfast that we saw on the beach this morning – we could see the top part came free, severed straight across, but ripping the roots from the rock, but never a loosening, a letting go.

This morning I read a passage in Exodus 14:13-15 -

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The LORD will fight for you and you have only to be silent.”

Even in that Standing Firm – Holding Fast -  they were not told to ignore the enemy – They were told to Obey God -

v 15 The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to Go Forward!”

One thing we noticed this morning – is that the more tangled the seaweed ropes were, the greater amounts of roots detached from the structure.  I question – what am I getting tangled up in?  Who am I going to for advice? Of whom am I listening?  As the tides ebb and flow – am I obedient? Do I move? Do I Stand Firm – and yet remain obedient – able to move when the Rock moves?

I started re-reading Hebrews this morning as well – and came across this wonderful section once more -

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edge sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:12-16

Wow. Read that again. Let us all hold fast our confession!

Here is a little Mercy Me video for ya.

<<Here is WiseGeek’s definition of Hold Fast >>

<<HoldFast, by Kathleen Deen Moore>> – Where I read the term last evening.