There is “… a time to keep, and a time to cast away;” Ezekiel 3:6
There are hundreds of verses in the Bible about casting or throwing away, and about holding on to and keeping.
I was considering some promises God has given me that I “Hold On To” as well as many items of Hilda’s that I Hold On To. This came about as I was going through one of Hilda’s end table drawers late last night (1:00 am), a few weeks after Hilda joined Jesus in Heaven. I came across a folder with a sticky note which said, “Found with an old Bible February 1995.” It must have been found during one of our moves by Hilda and she tucked it into her drawer with other keepsakes.
Inside the folder were some old poems Hilda had written, between the ages of 12 and 17 or so. They were thoughtful, deep, and some were about her relationship with Jesus. Some were hard to interpret as poems can be. She was big on hidden meanings and metaphors.
A Sad Discovery
Behind these poems, which numbered probably a couple of dozen, were several hand-written journal letters on paper. As I read them, I felt a wave of sadness come over me. They were letters written to God about two relationships Hilda had during her late teens with a couple of guys. The second guy I knew more about. He was her boyfriend for several years. Hilda really cared for this guy, whom I did meet a few times when Hilda and I were dating. By then her care for him was purely as a friend. He had found another young lady. In these journal letters, Hilda shared a lot of her heart break during their relationship. Hilda was pouring out to the Lord, asking Him why this relationship did not work out, and wondering when the right man would finally come along. I did come, but not for a couple of years after these journals. They were hard to read, and I did not read them all.
Thankfully, I was the blessed recipient of many beautiful, loving letters from Hilda and wrote many letters back to her as well.
So, last night, I sorted through these journals, along with many cards Hilda received from friends, family, Daniel and me.
Her poems I wanted to Hold On To. These sad journals, some written to these guys, along with a few letters received from the second guy, I Cast Away. They were not meant to be kept by me. In another journal which Hilda had written when we were beginning our relationship, and which I have saved, she actually wrote a prayer to the Lord. She thanked the Lord for this former boyfriend being in her life, and for God showing her that he was not the answer to her prayer for a forever partner.
I’m so thankful that she wrote in many cards and letters of how happy she was that God brought us together, and that although life was not always easy, she said that I brought her so much love and joy during our marriage. She wrote and told me many times over that she would love me forever. THANK YOU GOD!
Comfort From the Holy Spirit
So this morning, waking up early, around 4:30 am, (3 hours of sleep) lying in bed, wondering what to do with these journals and letters, and feeling sad for her, and for myself for finding them, the Holy Spirit came and ministered comfort to me. I would Cast Away these letters and Hold Onto her poems. BEST OF ALL, Jesus “reminded” me to HOLD ONTO His promise of Hebrews 10:35-36 He had given me in 1981, and which He told me again applied to being with Hilda in Heaven, on January 27, 2023…
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (being with Hilda, for eternity in Heaven).
All of us have to Cast Away or Cast Off things that will tear us down, hurt our relationship with Jesus, or do harm in our relationships with other people. We must realize that the enemy wants us to keep things from our past sinful lives to use against us to destroy us. Here are things in our lives the Bible warns us that we should Cast Away…
“But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” Ephesians 4:20-24
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” Romans 13:12
“For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:25
Then there are also things that we must Hold Onto. Eternal Life With Jesus – what a “beyond-our-imagination-promise” from God in the Bible…
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12
“Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Timothy 6:18-19
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” Phillipians 2:14-16
“Never damp the fire of the Spirit, and never despise what is spoken in the name of the Lord. By all means use your judgement, and hold on to whatever is really good, Steer clear of evil in any form.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21- Phillips
“Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 MSG
“Then write this to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia: These are the words of the holy one and the true, ‘He who has the key of David. He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens’.
I know what you have done. See, I have given you a door flung wide open, which no man can close! For you have some little power and have been faithful to my message and have not denied my name. See how I deal with those of Satan’s synagogue, who claim to be Jews (Christians), yet are no Jews (Christians) but liars! Watch how I make them come and bow down before your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
Because you have obeyed my call to patient endurance I will keep you safe from the hour of trial which is to come upon the whole world, to test all who live upon the earth.
I am coming soon; “hold fast” to what you have—let no one deprive you of your crown. As for the victorious, I will make him a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he will never leave it. I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down out of Heaven from my God. And I will write upon him my own new name. Let the listener hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” Revelation 3:7-13
Ask God For Wisdom
Let’s ask God for His wisdom, the Bible being our guide, and the Holy Spirit’s personal guidance, to know what to Cast Away and what to Hold On To. It’s so important! It can determine the final location where we will spend eternity! Let us Hold On To faith in Jesus and Cast Away sins that hinder us.
I felt a sense of peace and relief, once I discarded those journal letters into the neighbourhood dumpster. I needed to Cast them Away, and I know Hilda would have approved. They did not belong. Her poetry, I will try to understand, and possibly post one or two in the future. Her cards and letters to me I treasure like gems.
Thank you Hilda for your eternal love for me. Lord, thank You that I can love Hilda forever too.
