Our Strong Anchor

Praise Reports:

• James’ father made a surprise visit and God arranged everything perfectly. James’ mother and her boyfriend also came down and spent Thanksgiving with the family.
• Sharon got to see her grandchildren!
• Richard’s daughter Julie is engaged.

Prayer Requests:

• We prayed a hedge of thorns (Hosea 2:6) around certain people, that it would repulse the enablers in their lives.
• The Brumley Family—strength and protection against spiritual attack
• Dwayne and Vivian—Dwayne has started 40 days of radiation
• Sam—he had a frightening hospital visit, but is doing better. As of November 16 Amy reported, “All those prayers are working ♥ Back from Stanford, Sam is happy to be home, not in a Dr.s office, or hospital, and wishing he was back in school- must be feeling better! Still dealing with inflammation in his body, but his liver function is improving in many tests. Slow progress, but it IS progress!! Go Sam, GO!!!”
• Latest news on Norma—GOOD NEWS! We went to see the surgeon last night and he took out the last stitches. Then he said: "See you after New Years!" Thank you all so much for your prayers! :-) We have both felt the difference in these trying times.”
• Zeb—he has been suffering from diverticulitis, probably induced by stress
• Jolie—safe delivery and peace
• Brian Weeks—blood clots in lungs
• Robin and Stan Fine—Robin’s body is consumed with cancer and she is undergoing chemotherapy. She and her husband both need an anchor for their souls.
• Matt Sales—repentance and a new way of life
• Vanessa—protection, wisdom, and love for her and her family
• Katherine’s sister Sarah—we pray that the spot doctor’s discovered will prove to be benign
• Byron, Mary, Pam—various needs
• Ruby and Paul
• Christy
• Sandra and John
• Lift up those who feel no cause for Thanksgiving this week.
• Our nation and the upcoming elections—may God’s will be done.

The Calm Before the Storm, a photo by aussiegall on Flickr.

Let us see what the book of Hebrews has to say about hope. This is probably nothing new to you, but perhaps you will see this passage in a new light, from a different angle. 

Have you ever been on a boat? If you have I'm sure you've seen an anchor there. A ship can sail very well most of the time, but you never know what will happen; everything can be just peachy, and then suddenly a squall blows up and the ship needs something solid to hang on to. If you're going to control any size of boat you'll need an anchor with a very strong rope or chain. 

Hebrews 6:13-20 speaks of hope, and in vs. 19 says "this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast." Our soul is the ship, and Jesus never promised smooth sailing. Our soul is always at sea, out in all weather. No one is exempt, be he 8 or 98 years old. Some times may be harder than others, but it's guaranteed that we won't get  to dry dock and get refurbished. The "constant" in life is not the wind, or the water, or the ship (none of these things last, they're in a constant state of flux and decay). The only constant in life is a secure anchor. When you’re out of control—without rudder or sail—your one chance is your anchor. But when Hebrews speaks of "this hope", what exactly is it referring to? Let us go back and get some context for this verse.

It was common practice in biblical times to seal a deal by swearing an oath. God swore an oath to Abraham to show how determined He was to fulfill the covenant. The only thing stronger than an oath was a covenant of blood—a sacrifice. To guarantee his word a man would slay his very best animal. In one sense, God sacrificed His one and only son so that we would never have to wonder if He really meant what He said about saving us through faith! So it is impossible for God to lie, He swore an oath to Abraham on the highest thing possible, and He entered into a covenant of blood.

This is our hope: we have the assurance that God will do what He says He’ll do. 

In another way Jesus is our anchor. Vs. 18 states that we who have grasped the anchor may have "strong encouragement"; our anchor has gone "within the veil," to the very throne of God. No matter what happens, Jesus is anchored fast on our behalf. If you woke up with hope for this new day it was only because of Christ's blood! If anything is tossing your ship then hold on to your hope, your anchor of God's assurance. He has promised us good (Jeremiah 29:11). 

My Hope is Build on Nothing Less

When darkness seems to hide His face,

I rest on His unchanging grace.

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.