Have you stopped by the glue rack in the local home center and marveled at the selection? Most of us discovered the power of glue in elementary school. My kids enjoyed glue sticks that traveled well in backpacks, extended for use, then retracted with no mess. I grew up with paste in a plastic pot. The flexible wand mounted to the lid made distribution somewhat easier, and the fresh minty taste created a temptation for afternoon snacking.

Paste took hours to dry.

Elmer’s

Source: http://elmers.com/
Source: http://elmers.com/

Elmer’s liquid glue with the adjustable flow cap was a vast improvement. Anyone could draw glue lines–thin, wide, or in between–then sprinkle glitter on the paper to create a holiday masterpiece fit to display in a refrigerator door gallery. Elmer’s glue and Popsicle sticks enabled crafty 3D designers to prototype rather than simply sketch ideas.

Source: http://www.revell.com/
Source: http://www.revell.com/

Testor’s

My brothers were accomplished model builders and Revell was a well-known name in our household. Somehow Rick and Jeff squeezed the Testors Plastic Cement tube with just the right touch so the cockpit of the airplane under construction retained its transparency.

Source: http://www.revell.com/product-images/85-5241-lg.jpg
Source: http://www.revell.com/product-images/85-5241-lg.jpg

I tried building a couple of model cars and decided I couldn’t afford the glue with my meager allowance. Apparently using three tubes of glue per model is overkill, and more often than not I ended up with car parts stuck to my parts.

Source: http://www.amazon.com
Source: http://www.amazon.com

Other types

I’m a big fan of glue and have several types in stock for emergencies. My years have added experience so I know when to use wood glue and what Goop will and will not repair. I’ve learned the truth behind the words “Use contact cement with adequate ventilation”, and I understand why Super Glue should only be deployed under wifely supervision.

On my current assignment I wanted to cement metal parts together (more on the project later) and after consulting a few web sites for suggestions I headed out to shop for glue. My project is located outdoors with exposure to heat, cold, and the liquid elements. I zeroed in on two products, both claiming to join metal under those conditions. I needed glue that:

  • Sets quickly but remains workable until the parts are seated
  • Holds in dampness or a downpour
  • Withstands extremes of hot and cold
  • Cures into a permanent bond
Final adjustments (3)

We understand glue. We expect much from it. Mostly we demand that it work first time and every time. Who wants to depend on glue that lets go at inopportune moments? Who is OK expending time repairing and re-repairing the same break? We’d launch a quest for better glue, right?

Cleave is the word

The King James Version of Scripture employs a word that speaks volumes – cleave. Astute Bible students can open a concordance and quickly discover the richness of this word. To cleave is to adhere, to catch by pursuit, to follow close, to be joined together, to overtake, to stick, to glue together, or to join one’s self to. Modern translations render the King James word cleave in various ways including join, cling, and hold fast.

We find the word in three scenarios:

  • Our marriages – (Genesis 2:24) A man is to cleave unto his wife. The two become a new family unit. Note Jesus quoted this verse in Matthew 19:5 and Mark 10:7.
  • Our relationship with God – (Deuteronomy 13:4) We are to cleave unto our God.
  • Our life pursuits – (Romans 12:9) We are to cleave to that which is good.

The bond in each case is intended to grow stronger with time. The goal is permanence. Now, consider God’s instructions surrounding the word cleave. Think He’s OK when we view those crucial bonds as short-term or interpret His commands as suggestions? What about when we deliberately break those bonds?

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 NASB

You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13:4 NASB

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9 NASB

Time will tell if my metal-to-metal glue joints remain strong. More importantly is how well I am doing with the three bonds explained above. Are those joints growing stronger and weathering the elements life throws my way?