Clinging to God

"My soul clings fast to You; Your right hand upholds me."
-- Psalm 63:9 (NAB)

I think in the past when I have considered this psalm, I've envisioned myself with my arms wrapped around Jesus, holding on for dear life. While there's much to be said for clinging to God with "determined determination," as St. Teresa of Jesus liked to say, that image implies that being cared for by God depends a lot on how well the soul clings.

It occurred to me recently that the soul actually clings to God in much the same way that a newborn clings to the finger of its father or mother. The newborn baby's clinging is a reflex while our clinging needs to be more deliberate. However, they're similar in that, in both cases, the one doing the clinging really isn't accomplishing all that much! At best, it's a sign of good will and desire.

It's really up to the parent to hold onto the baby and protect it. And, thanks be to God! We can have confidence that, if we do our little part, our Father God will indeed cling fast to us with His strong right hand and His power to save. For Jesus has promised, "My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand." (John 10:27-29, NAB)