“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…Jesus,” Hebrews 6:19-20.
Recently, I was chatting with someone who was feeling afraid and she saw something that gave her hope. Someone she respected and she told me, “Now, I have hope everything is going to be okay.”
I paused.
Really? Can one person’s actions fill us with hope to where we actually feel better?
Friends, our hope is in Christ.
Ever since that conversation I have been thinking of this post which I wrote back in 2016. Isn’t it funny after all this time, the Lord would remind me of it?
We are in uncertain times. And my challenge to you is where do you anchor your hope? Read this post and be encouraged!
“Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.” Acts 27:29
This morning on my walk I listened to the podcast from Mark Batterson’s sermon from Sunday. It is entitled, “Four Anchors.” It got me thinking, what are my anchors?
This verse in Acts takes place with Paul being on a ship in the midst of a storm. The water was so rough the crew dropped not one or two or even three but four anchors.
Mark Batterson went through the four anchors he drops when the storms of life rage around him.
I thought I’d share my anchors with you as an encouragement.
- Psalm 18 – This is my life Psalm. This is the Psalm I go to first. David starts our calling to the Lord, “I love you , O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.” I love the declarations of who God is to me. The entire chapter is full of these declarations. I was eighteen when this Psalm came to life for me. Over my life, the Lord has taken me back to this Psalm and shown me new insights in these 50 verses.
2. Ephesians 2:10 – I feel like I quote this verse at least once a week. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Love, love, love this verse. First, we are His workmanship or masterpiece. Hello! Who doesn’t need to hear that? Second, we are created to do good works that He has prepared for us to do. Wow! Especially when it feels like a bad day, I ask myself, What are the good things the Lord has prepared for me to do today? It has transformed my mind and then my day more times than I can write about.
3. 2 Timothy 4:2 – “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -with great patience and careful instruction.” This is the verse that reminds me what my call is. Regardless of the storms I may face, I know that I am called to preach the Word. That’s it, plain and simple. When I put my focus on what God has called me to do then I’m able to take my eyes off the situations or problems that are pounding me.
4. Romans 8 – Yes, the whole of Romans 8, is probably my favorite chapter in the entire Bible. Here’s what I have underlined in my Bible: “There is no condemnation…set me free…but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace…For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’…liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God…the Spirit helps us in our weakness…but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express…the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will…And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified…If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?…Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Now that’s a whole lot of amazing statements.
Take a few minutes and flip open your Bible. What are your anchors? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Share with us, the top four places in Scripture you go to anchor your hope.
