-November 12, 2021-
Good morning, happy Friday,
“This hope we have as the anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.”
(Hebrews 6:19).
The writer of Hebrews has been telling us to lay hold of the hope that is set before us in heaven. God always fulfills His promises, especially to Abraham who the father of faith to us all. Paul wrote of hope, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Hope is of the the great guardian of the soul, along with faith. It keep our engines going all ahead full in this life.
The nautical analogy is beautiful. Hope is the anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. The former shows hope’s confidence, and the latter its strength; both are needed as we face the storms in this life. Jesus is the Captain of our ship to get safely through to heaven. The anchor of the ship is essential in grounding the ship so that it will not move. It is usually made out of iron, which is very heavy and has a heavy cable attached. Once a ship is anchored to a solid rock, it is immovable.
• Our hope is sure – Sureness is confidence. Hope in God, His promises, and His Word is our ultimate confidence. The storms may rage, the winds may blow, the waves may rise, but none of it can move us. Sometimes we ask others, are you sure? If they answer yes, we feel better, but we still consider the person as to how much we trust that person. We cannot always trust in man but we can always trust God. In Hebrews 6:18 it says, “That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, that we may have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” Just like the song says, “God said it, and I believe it, and that settles it for me.”
• Our hope is steadfast – The word steadfast is defined as, “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering; firmly fixed in place, immovable.” It shows the strength of our hope. Just as the anchor holds a huge, heavy ship, so too, our hope in Christ holds us through the toughest of times, whether it is in sorrow, loss, pain, or any other difficulty. Because our hope is sure, it is steadfast.
It is one thing to talk about a sure and steadfast hope, but it is quite another to experience it in our lives under stress and pressure. The hymn writer Priscilla J. Owens wrote, “Will your anchor hold through the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, will your anchor drift, or firm remain? We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.”
Let us be sure and steadfast in our faith no matter what we go through. Jesus is our Captain and He knows the seas of life, and the way to our home port of heaven. As experienced as the disciples who were fisherman were, and knew the Sea of Galilee so well, they experienced a huge storm and feared for their lives. Jesus calmed the sea and brought comfort and relief to them. Jesus is the Master of the sea, and the Master of the storm.
Have a blessed day whatever comes your way. Jesus is in control so that our hope is sure and steadfast. Nothing takes Him by surprise, so we can rest fully in Him. Stay safe and healthy.
In His grace,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 