Hold Fast
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” - Hebrews 10:23
Last Friday evening, I took this blog in a personal direction by sharing about a prominent preacher in Reformed Evangelicalism—a man who had influenced me to pursue the ministry—a man who recently made shipwreck of his own ministry, and in some respects, his life. That news came at a strange time, as my own mentor, Mark Dever, celebrates 30 years as the Senior Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church this week. At moments, I have been struck by the contrast between these two men.
There is in my own preaching, and it can be said of our other pastors’, an emphasis on God’s sovereignty. This is no hobby horse, as the Scripture is clear that the Lord “works all things to the counsel of His will.” Jesus, the captain of our salvation is the author and finisher of our faith. Jonah, covered in slime in the belly of the fish, stuck his prayer like an Olympic gymnast, crying out, “Salvation belongs to the Lord” before being spit out of its mouth. We don’t save us, God does. But notice that the testimony of Scripture, as part of God’s sovereign grace, calls us, in the words of the mystery author of Hebrews, to “Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.” Back in the early chapters, he warns us not to drift from so great a salvation. This human element and God’s sovereignty aren’t mutually exclusive. Because even beneath the holding fast that we’re being called to, is the everlasting arms. Only by grace do we hold fast. And yet, we must hold.
One of the things that’s clear to me from working and living closely with Mark when I served as his assistant at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, and having known him well over a decade, is that he has done the same, ordinary things throughout his entire ministry. Every day, he wakes up, opens his Bible and prays—he prays the passage, for himself, for his family, and for his church family. Every single day. Now, this seems like a boring detail—a footnote of a Christian life. But nothing could be further from the truth. This is the kind of thing that if you do it consistently, shapes your entire life. It’s the ordinary means of grace, the so-thought “boring stuff” that is the engine of the persevering life.
I don’t know what Steve Lawson’s prayer life looked like. I don’t know how he engaged the text of Scripture. I don’t care to guess. But I know a man who begins his day engaging with God. And his ministry is exceedingly fruitful and continues to be. I have to believe that, in part, its due to the thing he’ll do about 8 hours form now. He’ll wake up, open God’s Word, meditate on it deeply, and pray for himself and for those under his care. This isn’t just for big name pastors. It’s for each of us, for the Lord calls us all to be fruitful in His vineyard. This is a big part of what “hold fast” means. Of course, the Spirit of God is over, under, behind, and before all of it. Nonetheless, we must hold. Beloved, how are you doing with holding? Ask Him who is faithful to help you.
“For the Lord is good and faithful—He will keep us day and night…we can always run to Jesus, Jesus strong and kind.”
