Growing up, I used to fish for giant sturgeon on the Columbia River Gorge. The current was intense. Deadly. More than one boat is at the bottom of that river because the crew didn’t secure the anchor properly.
You had to secure the anchor right, or your boat would capsize in a matter of seconds. Then you, your boat, and your buddies would be lost to the current. The anchor was your lifeline and you needed it to hold.
The same is true for your life. If you don’t have your life securely anchored to something solid, you’re in danger of sinking your ship. And no one wants that.
So, what’s your life anchored to?
The good news is that we have an anchor to hold on to. It’s the hope that comes from Jesus, and “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” (Hebrews 6:19)
Here are three ways to help you hold on to your anchor, the hope of Jesus.
Anchor yourself in the hope of God’s word.
People often tell me they don’t spend much time reading their Bibles. It’s too much of a chore, and they’re too busy. We fail to realize that God’s word anchors us to the hope we need.
What we should remember is that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
Anchor yourself in the hope of God’s character.
Do you know what’s dangerous about a current? Often, what looks calm on the surface is a torrent underneath. When it seems like it’s going one way, it may be doing something totally different.
But that can’t be said about God. He is always faithful to his character and his word. “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19)
The answer to those questions is No. God’s not flaky, missing, or untrustworthy. So, we can trust in him.
Anchor yourself in the hope of God’s Son.
When the U.S. Navy makes an aircraft carrier, it needs an anchor. And not just any anchor from Walmart. It requires a big, strong anchor with the strength and weight to steady the ship during the storms.
That’s why each anchor the Navy orders is stamped with the correct weight of thirty thousand pounds. They don’t want to get a thirty-pound anchor accidentally. That just wouldn’t do.
You also have an anchor for your souls, except yours isn’t stamped in pounds. It’s stamped with the name Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Your faith in him anchors you to the hope you desperately need when the storms come.
“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment.” (Romans 5:2-5)
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