It's One thing to Kiss, It's another to Cling

"Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her."  (Ruth 1:14 NAS95S)

Observation:  With a kiss, Orpah extended a common courtesy as she bid farewell to her mother-in-law.  With clinging, Ruth extended an uncommon commitment to her mother-in-law; refusing to leave the one who had shown her a God worth dying for.  

Kissing and clinging, courtesy and courageous commitment.  Orpah was courteous, Ruth was courageous.  Orpah did the expected, and Ruth the unexpected.  What is this contrast between kissing and clinging?  What does is teach us about what it means to be a Christ follower?

In the Scripture, a kiss has mixed connotations.  It can certainly be a blessing or a greeting:  

"An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips."  (Proverbs 24:26 NIV)

"Greet one another with a holy kiss. (Romans 16:16 NIV)

On the flip side, a kiss can also come with betrayal and deceit:

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."  (Proverbs 27:6 NAS95S)

"While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"" (Luke 22:47-48 NAS95S)

A kiss can be common or it can be sacred; a blessing or a curse.  But clinging... It is most often an act of devotion; of stubborn love; of determination to be blessed with a relationship of grace.

The act of clinging reminds of Jacob's refusing to let go until the Lord blessed him:

Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me..." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him and said, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And he blessed him there.  (Genesis 32:24-29 NAS95S)

Clinging brings to mind Peter falling to the feet of Jesus in a cry of utter repentance:

"But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!""  (Luke 5:8 NAS95S)

Peter exclaimed, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man;" yet he clung to the feet of Jesus, feeling that he could not be parted from Him. The Saviour answered, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." It was after Isaiah had beheld the holiness of God and his own unworthiness that he was entrusted with the divine message. It was after Peter had been led to self-renunciation and dependence upon divine power that he received the call to his work for Christ.  {DA 246.4}

Clinging brings to mind Mary's passionate grasp of her risen Lord:

"Jesus *said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'""  (John 20:17 NAS95S)

And clinging brings to mind the overjoyed paralytic who received a blessing far more precious than silver and gold:  

"While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement."  (Acts 3:11 NAS95S)

Clinging is an act of determination, gratitude, and courageous commitment.  In the book of Deuteronomy we are told:  

""Fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him."  (Deuteronomy 10:20 NAS95S)

In other words, hang onto God for dear life!  Paul put's it this way:  "Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good!" (Romans 12:9).  God is good all the time, and we are to cling to Him.  To hang on for dear life.  As David declares:  "My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me" (Psalm 63:8).  Pictures these passages bring to mind are a climber lifting a fellow companion to safety; a soldier lifting a comrade from the rubble; a child holding onto their Father for dear life in the midst of a thunderstorm; or an infant clinging to its mother as it nurses in quite peace.  Clinging is an act of sheer trust and utter dependance.  It's one thing to kiss, it is another thing to cling.

Prayer:  O Lord, may my soul cling to You today.  By faith I declare: "I won't let you go until you bless me!"  Take hold of me!  Bless me!  Grip me in Your grace.  I cannot cling to You if You do not cling to me.  Your grasp eludes me if You do not give me the strength to hold on.  So strengthen my weak hands and embolden my trembling heart that I might cling to You.  Hold me Jesus.  Wrestle with my weary heart.  Hold me tight!