He will hold me fast – Start The Day

Saturday 5th September 2026

“Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: ²“Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be vindicated? ³Should your empty talk make men hold their peace? And when you mock, should no one rebuke you? ⁴For you have said, ‘My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in your eyes.’ ⁵But oh, that God would speak, and open His lips against you.” Job 8:1-5 NKJV

“I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all! ³Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? ⁴I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you; ⁵but I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.” Job 16:1-5 NKJV

“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. ¹¹My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. ¹²I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:10-12 NKJV

Father God,

So Zophar joins Bildad and Eliphaz in condemning Job. He calls Job to repent. Job has had enough of his miserable comforters! I agree. Job has long discourses where he states what he knows about God and works through what he believes. He is searching for truth. His visitors just judge. Job hopes there is a redeemer who will speak up and clear his name in the future. We do not know if it is a prophecy about Jesus or hoping one of his family will clear his name, a kinsman-redeemer? But these conversations he has with God show us we can question and search for Your truth to correct and direct us.

I just love verse 12. Do I treasure Your Word more than my necessary food (NKJV) more than my daily bread (NIV)? I know I enjoy, and like thinking about food and often think about what I will have for my next meal! Do I see Your teaching Lord as the commandment of Your lips (NKJV) or just something to aspire to on occasions? Not that I can ever excel! Paul speaks about the human dichotomy in Romans 7:20-25. I can only do my my best. Thank You God for Jesus Christ. We do our best with Your Spirit’s help and Jesus redeems the rest. We can question when we don’t understand life and whatever comes and however others speak we will endeavour to trust.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 5th September 2026
The chorus is my come to mind when I cannot see the way forward. It then reminds me of God’s Word. Comfort eating is false comfort?

When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
‘Til our faith is turned to sight
When he comes at last

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

Repeat chorus . . .

Lyrics: Ada R Habershon (1906) Robert Harkness (Tune)
New verses: Matt Merker New Tune: Keith and Kristyn Getty (2013)

Monday 3rd August 2026

“Then Zedekiah the king sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance of the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.” ¹⁵Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” ¹⁶So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the Lord lives, who made our very souls, I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.” ¹⁷Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. ¹⁸But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.’ ” ¹⁹And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me.” ²⁰But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.” Jeremiah 38:14-20 NKJV

Father and Lord,

Poor Zedekiah. He is between a rock and a hard place and the only person who will tell him the truth is Jeremiah who always says what he does not want to hear. Zedekiah just wants everything to be OK again and be safe in his little luxurious palace. I know how he feels. Especially those days when two, three or four things go wrong or break or are not fixable. Sometimes it is the little things that get us down! A puncture on a Sunday evening. The fridge defrosting itself . . . We need home to be our safe place even if not so luxurious.

It is an honest person who can admit they are afraid. Afraid of not being able to cope with a big situation or even a small one. Zedekiah admits his fear but does not want to do what is right and safest. So what he feared came upon Zedekiah and worse. (Jeremiah 39:1-8). All his sons were killed before him and he was blinded and taken to Babylon. Help us, when we are afraid, to seek You Lord and wise godly counsel. Not to leave ourselves isolated where the enemy can surround and terrorise us (1 Peter 5:8). To hear Your Holy Spirit’s guidance. To listen and follow His lead.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 3rd August 2026
I thought I had used this this year – but have not. It is probably that I listen to it or sing the chorus when I need a faith hug.

When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast

He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast

Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast

For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
‘Til our faith is turned to sight
When he comes at last

He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast

Repeat chorus twice

Lyrics: Ada R. Habershon(1906) and modernised by Matt Merker (2013).

Monday 3rd November 2025

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. ¹²“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:10-14 NIV

Father in Heaven,

We all , well most of us will admit we have had times when we have felt weak or vulnerable or both. This is a parable to reassure us that when we do have these times, the good Shepherd, who knows his sheep, sees and come to draw us back to himself and the safety of the flock. Whether we have gone a little way or far . . .

And the flock should not despise someone who is struggling but should welcome them in too. It is easy just to mix with the crowd we are comfortable with. But we need to look out for those struggling.

And we should not be distracted by the picture of angels. It is not the angels who look for the wandering it is the Shepherd Himself, You Lord God. You are a compassionate Shepherd which reassures us, You are a strong rescuer which gives us security, You are a Shepherd who does the finding Yourself so we know You love us individually.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 3rd November 2025

For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight
When he comes at last

Chorus and Repeat

Lyrics: Ada Habershon (Original words)
Matthew Sherman Merker (Modern Version)