The tune was going through my head already as I woke up. Funny how this happens. Realizing I was humming, I paid attention to the lyrics. It was then I remembered an older post of mine.
The word “anchor” had been stuck in my thoughts for days. One verse, and one word, flashes me back to a time when we owned a boat. We often went out of Boston Harbor to go fishing and watch the firework displays.
One day in particular, a friend insisted on dropping the anchor. My husband usually did this as he was very careful to make sure the anchor “held”. Our friend dropped it, promising that it was good, and our focus returned to fishing and our conversation.
It took a while but we came to realize we had gone further out, as the anchor was not as secure as one would hope, and we had drifted. We were safe but several lessons have never been forgotten:
- An anchor must be secured. An anchor is heavy, but unless we drop it down and let it settle in a good place, it is useless. It must get a grip on the solid ground or rock.
- The drifting process happens slowly. There were three of us on the boat that day and yet not one of us realized we were drifting away. We looked up and suddenly were saying, “Was that buoy there when we dropped the anchor?” Drifting is a slow compromise, a fading of our joy. It was funny that day while fishing. Not so funny when it occurs in our lives and we drift away from the Lord.
- Focus must always be maintained. The shoreline looked the same even though we were now a few miles away from where we had begun. We can so easily think we are still on the right path. Much the way we were distracted with our fishing and conversation, the enemy of our souls will keep us distracted and from noticing our lives are drifting away from the Lord.
“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.
It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”
(Hebrews 6:19, NLT)
The lyrics to the song I was humming says it all beautifully:
“In times like these you need a Savior,
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.”
Jesus lives to ever make intercession for us. Barbara Harper brings powerful insight in “What Does Jesus Pray for Us?” Barbara delves into the question “So what did He pray when He lived in human form on Earth?” You will be greatly encouraged by her words.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Image by Achim Scholty from Pixabay
It’s amazing how we can drift like that without even being aware of it sometimes. Anchors are definitely valuable to keep us moored where we want to stay. Beautiful post, Joanne.
Hope has become a coffee mug and couch pillow word, but in reality, it’s a virtue and a God-given guardrail to keep us in the faith. I appreciate your persistence here in filling the word back up with true and biblical meaning.
I didn’t know that about anchors, but having grown up at the coast, I have experienced drifing while laying in an innertube. You look up and your beach chair is nowhere in sight. Great application to the need to stay anchored to our Rock.
Wow. This, Joanne –> ‘Drifting is a slow compromise, a fading of our joy. It was funny that day while fishing. Not so funny when it occurs in our lives and we drift away from the Lord.’
Our ladies’ Bible study just finished Hebrews, and chapter 6, verses 19-20 are fresh on my mind. What you said about drifting is so profound. It happens so slowly and unnoticeably at first. Another verse from Hebrews, 2:1 comes to mind: “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
Thanks so much for featuring my post about what Jesus prays for us. That was a blessing to me and I am glad it encouraged you, too.
Joanne, thank you for this reminder that we have an Anchor for uncertain times. Having enjoyed boating all my life, I remember the lesson of “setting the anchor” most. We can have an anchor, and we can drop it in the water, but unless it is “set” we will drift. I liken this to “having” the knowledge of Jesus, maybe even faith, but unless our hearts are “set” in full trust of Him, when rough seas come, we will drift.
Beautiful and powerful post, Joanne. Your three points on our “Anchor” resonated in my heart. Such a great analogy to being on the water to how we can slowly drift from our focus. I pray to always stay on the path to Jesus and thankful He is our anchor of hope. God bless.