Sure and Steadfast

7/9/2009

Hebrews 6:19 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

New American Standard Bible

Anchors serve the purpose of holding ships in place so that wind and water currents don’t push or drift theminto one another while in port or onto the shore; the bigger the ship the bigger the anchor needed. But sometimes the forces of nature can defeat anchors and ships wind up damaged as a result… think about the damage done to sea-going vessels when Katrina reared her ugly and powerful head.

The writer assures us in Hebrews 6 that the hope we have in Christ is an anchor big enough to hold our faith in place regardless of the storms of life that come up. This morning I awoke and prayed for three in prison, another with cancer and two others with serious marital storms brewing. The storms of life are definitely out there and often they come in here; the question is do I trust Christ and does hope anchor my soul sure and steadfast to His finished work? It does and it must, or I will be swept away just by the squalls long before the tidal surge of any hurricanes.

Hope is a gift that enables me to weather the storms because of what Jesus has already done for me. Hope enables me to see beyond the storms and trust in the One who has entered as a forerunner for me, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You for the gift of hope. May my life be a beacon of hope to the imprisoned, the sick and the troubled. Help me to remember my hope – what I long for and expect simply on the basis that You have said it is so – and You cannot lie. Father, may I help others remember their hope, the anchor that holds them sure and steadfast when the dark clouds come and the wind turns fierce and the waves crash against them – in Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.