Stuck on Him

The lyrics of an Elvis Presley song ran through my thoughts this morning, “I’m gonna stick like glue, stick because I’m stuck on you. . . .” That oldie came to mind when I read today’s devotional verse. It says:

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)

The reason for the song is that the word “cling” in this verse comes from kolla, a Greek word that means “glue.” It is also translated as “join (one’s) self” or “be joined” or “keep company.” It means to glue together, cement, or join firmly together.

In Presley’s song, the glue idea is obviously about the romantic feeling of a lover who always wants to be with the one he loves. In the Bible, this is about always wanting to be with things that are good, not evil. Such an association seems a given, but as I look at the world around me, a huge percentage of the population seems drawn to things other than what is good.

We went to a street performers festival last week. One of the performers asked the crowd to select one of three options. The choices were two feats of juggling and the third was described as “something almost illegal.” Knowing what they would pick was a no-brainer. Both adults and children cheered for the third option. No one wanted either of the other two choices.

Why the attraction of evil? God’s Word says it is rooted in our sin nature. As Job wrote, “For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground; yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:6-7) We are born with the propensity to sin.

I know my own bent and my struggles of turning away from the bad stuff. I could say it is a curiosity but I know better. My sinful self is my problem when temptation comes and I find myself interested.

Jesus is my only hope of beating sin, but He expects me to cooperate in the battle. As His child and one who serves Him, He wants me to hate evil and be glued to everything good, right and worthy. Obviously, I need discernment in evaluating what to reject and what to cling to. This is stated clearly in another passage from the New Testament.

Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

I’m helped by Scripture which shows me the difference, but sometimes I’m stubborn and have to learn by experience. This is never a pleasant way to find out, but it happens. From these verses, an even better way seems to be selecting and focusing on the good things, being glued so tightly to them that there is no room in my life for evil.

Today I must remember the words of the Lord I’ve been hearing all week. My to-do list is long, yet I cannot let it get me riled and frustrated; that is not the way God works. Also, sacrificial love is more important than the list, so if a need arises I must be prepared to drop my agenda and follow the Lord’s leading, even if it means nothing on that list gets accomplished. At the same time, I need to be diligent in my work, not procrastinating and making excuses or keeping busy with other things that are not important.

God meets me in daily life. He asks me to hate evil and cling to Jesus who is the ultimate “good” in my life. As I do, He will show me each step to take and give me the joy of serving Him.