Lessons from the Limpet

Saving Faith is simply clinging to Christ Jesus Himself for safety from the wrath to come on sin:  True Faith is helpless dependence on the bleeding Savior for His free, eternal Salvation.

Whenever you are down by the seaside, most of the time you will see limpets (mollusks) sticking to a rock or a pier. You can walk up softly to the rock and with a stick strike the limpet quickly, and off he will come. But if you try to hit the next limpet the same way, you have given him warning; he heard the blow with which you struck his neighbor, and he will cling with all his might to the rock. You will never get him off the rock without destroying him. You may strike and strike him again, but you will break the rock before you get him off.  Jesus is my Rock in this weary land, I will stick with Him, no matter what. *Deuteronomy 32:4; I Samuel 2:2; Luke 6:48; I Corinthians 10:4; I Peter 2:8*

The limpet does not know much, but he knows how to cling. He cannot tell you much about what he is clinging to.  He is not acquainted with the geological formation of the rock, but he clings to it with all he has. Human nature clings to worldly filth and self-righteousness; but the divine nature clings to Christ's Purity and Righteousness. Nothing but the Atoning Sacrifice of the Lamb of God will appease divine vengeance - this is called Propitiation. *I John 2:2* The guilty, needy sinner has found out that he needs to cling to Someone besides himself who has a true Righteousness. That is the troubled sinner's little bit of knowledge, and he uses that knowledge by clinging to the Rock of His Salvation, Christ Jesus, God manifest in the flesh.  It is the limpet’s life to cling, and it is our life to cling to the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  *John 14:6*

Have no more faith than this - Just know enough to cling to Jesus with all your heart and soul, and this will suffice. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Jesus Christ is the sinner's Substitute and Savior, He is strong and mighty, He is a Great Rock in a weary land; cleave to Him for dear life, and He will save your defenseless soul immediately.  Cling to Jesus even now; Hold fast to the Crucified Incarnate God; never let Him go; for that is real Faith. Believe in His Precious Blood, trust to His Atoning Sacrifice, depend on His Forgiving Blood, cling to His Soul-Saving Blood alway. Sinners who trust in the Blood are saved, those who don't are lost. As a drowning man would cling to a plank cast into the water to save him, even so trust in nothing but the Blood of the Incarnate God to hold you up in time and Eternity.

The limpet by the sea-shore can do little, but he can cling, and very firmly too. That is the one simple thing you can do too, poor sinner.  May the Holy Spirit lead you to cling to the Cross (Christ's Blood Atonement) at once.  Only Jesus' Blood can rescue you from God's divine justice. Jesus answered all the demands of divine justice with His obedience, sufferings, and blood.

God help you at this moment to cling to Christ, and if you do, you are saved, yes, saved at once. Cling to Christ, and you shall find free, rich Mercy. Jesus didn't come to save the righteous, moral, or good, for there are none. Jesus died for sinners, and especially you. Come on now to Jesus, and He will give your soul the Rest you need. Are you truly clinging to Christ? Is He your only Hope of Heaven? If so, then He is yours for sure. Just stick to the old truth that Christ died for sinners, and that He is your Substitute here in time and right on out into Eternity, just stick to Him like the limpet to the rock.

Is your very soul actually knit to the person of Jesus Christ by Faith in His Blood? When the tide of carnal security ebbs out in your life, and you begin to sense your sinfulness, danger, hopelessness and start to dread death, if you have any sense, you will cling to Christ Jesus for your soul's safety? Is Jesus' Atoning Sacrifice all your trust and confidence? Do you rest only on His Precious Blood? If you trust to anything else whatsoever, you will perish in your sins. If you are clinging to Christ with all your heart, then Christ is yours. Turn all your confidence away from yourself, and trust only to Jesus. Cease to have any reliance in anything you've ever done, or ever hope to do. Personally cleave to the living Savior. Cling closely to Jesus under temptation and during trials.

He that believeth in Jesus hath everlasting life: there is where I cling, like the helpless limpet to the rock. Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” If Jesus is the only hope that you have, and you simply cling to Him as the limpet clings to a rock, then all will be well with your soul forever. *Acts 11:23; Romans 12:9*  Cling to Jesus (God manifest in the flesh); cleave to His Blood and Righteousness alone. It is your life to do it. Trust to the Innocent Substitute who bled for your sins. Clinging to the Cross kills your love for sins.

When the limpet lives and feeds on a rock for a long time, he slowly begins to blend in and look exactly like the rock whereupon he lives. Stick to the Bible closely (Psalm 119:31). This is also what happens to the wise Christian who continually feeds and clings to the blessed Rock of Salvation. *II Samuel 22:2-3,47; Deut 4:4; Psalm 18:2; Psalm 62:2,6*

Savior, more than life to me,
I am clinging, clinging, close to Thee;
Let Thy precious blood applied,
Keep me ever, ever near Thy side.

Every day, every hour,
Let me feel Thy cleansing power;
May Thy tender love to me
Bind me closer, closer, Lord to Thee.

Through this changing world below,
Lead me gently, gently as I go;
Trusting Thee, I cannot stray,
I can never, never lose my way.

Let me love Thee more and more,
Till this fleeting, fleeting life is o’er;
Till my soul is lost in love,
In a brighter, brighter world above.

-Ms. Fanny Crosby