Sermon Illustrations

MERCY ME: HOLD FAST

Mercy Me is a Christian band (I Can Only Imagine) and recently they sang a song called, "Hold Fast." Bart Millard tells the story of the inspiration for "Hold Fast":

"I was standing in the back of the bus going to our next concert. We were in a traffic jam and we passed a horrible wreck. I kept praying that the people in that wreck would just hold on until help would arrive."

Guideposts sponsors an outreach on the internet through a web site called, "Our Prayer." They post prayer requests on that web site and frequently I pray over those. This past week they had a desperate cry for prayer from a lady that stuck with me. She requested prayer that she get a job so that she could leave her mother's house. She has been unemployed for several months and had to move back in with her mother. None of her family are Christians and they constantly belittle her for her faith. Her husband left her a few years ago. She frequently goes to her room at her mother's house and cries. Being a new Christian she is trying to make friends with people at her church but has been unable. She is bankrupt financially and emotionally. Ever since she has come to faith in Christ, things have not been easy. The preacher at her church recently started a series on "restoration and reconciliation," and this just seems to add salt to her wounds. She tries to be reconciled to her family but every move just seems to make things worse. She doesn't feel restored at all because she has nothing. She asked the question, "I think I will go back to my old way of life. At least then I was on my own, and no one made fun of me."

As I prayed for this lady, all I could think of was the words of "Hold Fast" from Mercy Me.

To everyone who's hurting

To those who've had enough

To all the undeserving

That should cover all of us

Please do not let go

I promise there is hope

Hold fast Help is on the way

Hold fast He's come to save the day

What I've learned in my life

One thing greater than my strife

Is His grasp

So hold fast

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