Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Cleave: To adhere, or to separate (10/09/25)
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TITLE: Let Go and Hold On | Previous Challenge Entry
By Donna Martelli
10/13/25 -
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The word cleave is paradoxical because it carries two opposite meanings. It can mean to cling tightly, to adhere, to be joined together, and it can also mean to split apart, to divide, or to cut through. At first glance, this seems contradictory. Yet in God’s plan, both meanings are beautifully intertwined.
When Scripture tells us that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, we see that two definitions are at work. There is a necessary separation, with the former home left before the new union can fully form. The act of cleaving apart prepares the way for cleaving together. What a powerful truth this is, not just for marriage but for our walk with God!
We cannot cling to what is new without letting go of what is old. We cannot be bound to Christ unless we are willing to be cut loose from the things that keep us from Him. The sword of the Spirit divides truth from falsehood, exposing what must be severed so that love can take its rightful place.
To cleave to the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:20) is to cling to Him with our whole heart. But this clinging requires a cutting away from sin, from pride, from worldly entanglements that dull our devotion. God lovingly separates us from what harms us, so He can bind us to what heals and restores.
The two meanings of cleave work together in perfect harmony. To cleave from is to make room to cleave to. The cutting is not cruel; it is cleansing. The joining is not forced—it is faithful. When we yield to both, we experience the fullness of God’s transforming love.
What might God be asking you to “cleave away” from today so that you can better “cleave to” Him? Is there a habit, fear, or relationship that needs to be released so your heart can cling to Christ more freely? Be brutally honest with yourself.
“… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Prayer:
“Lord, teach me to cleave rightly: to separate from all that hinders and to cling to You with unwavering faith. Help me to release what no longer serves Your purpose, and hold fast to what brings me closer to Your heart. May my life be a testimony of love that both lets go and holds on. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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