Monkey Grip!

Clinging like a baby monkey!

Jeremiah 13:11'For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,' declares the LORD, 'that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.'

I just got to feel the ‘mother-heart’ of God when I read this verse! Did you get to read this scripture and ponder? When I read the word ‘cling’ I can only think of the way the baby monkey clings to the mother. Boy, they just attach themselves to their mom, even when the mother monkey jumps from tree to tree, the little one’s grip does not slacken. Monkey grip! That’s exactly how God wants us to cling to Him! Are you listening to me? Have you watched an infant cling to the mother and the chemistry they share is unfathomable and unexplainable!

In the above scripture, the Lord gives a beautiful demonstration to Jeremiah to explain this, the Lord tells him to take a cloth and wrap it around his waist tightly and says,’ I want my people to cling to me like this.’ Are you listening to me? Do we cling to God this way? Alas! Very sadly the scripture ends with God lamenting ‘but they did not listen.'

We cling to worthless things, don’t we? I saw one particular man in my colony, vigorously clean his new car morning, evening and night, he was literally ‘clinging’ on to his new car, but unfortunately after his ‘first love’ began to wear away, I saw the same car covered with dust. How sad! Most believers also are full of beans and highly upbeat for some time after they attend a revival meeting, but the challenge of endurance is where the rubber meets the road and they’ll know their sustaining power. I’m talking about clinging to God no matter what! Is anybody listening? During my initial days after salvation, I remember as a young mother taking my infant baby to the room next to the bedroom in the wee hours of the day, rocking him on my shoulders and praying passionately, that would follow with reading the Bible and then do my daily routine work at home. During those days, I was also working as an executive for a multinational bank that kept me running up and down the four floors from morning to evening; yet, I clung to my GOD like a baby monkey! How does one cling on to God?

• Regular and meticulous Bible reading, I have given a note book to my Abide Angel Home students who stay in our hostel to diligently read the Bible and make notes of it. You cannot randomly read here and there and grow close to God, knowledge of God comes through commitment.

• Diligent prayer life

• Fellowship with good believers and

• Fasting