Our Anchor

We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:19

What does that truly mean? What is the purpose of an anchor? Anchors keep boats from drifting away, through windy days, on rocky waters, through bolstering storms, an anchor can keep a boat within a certain distance. A good anchor will always keep the boat in its place, regardless of the circumstance, you don’t have to worry about hitting other boats or not being in control, because your anchor keeps you steadily in your place. God is the anchor for our souls. For those in Christ, He keeps us within His reach, there is no circumstance or situation that we can enter into where He cannot pull us back to His safety. As our Anchor he keeps us from drifting away into unsafe territory. Regardless of the season we are in, He holds us firmly in place. “He leads me beside still waters. He refreshes my soul. He leads me along the path of righteousness for His name sake. Though I walk through the valley of Darkness I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and staff they comfort me” Psalms 23:2-4. This reference to His “rod and staff” is another example of how through his loving discipline, just as a shepherd guides his sheep, He too gently guides us along to green pastures. He wants us to rest in his safety and know as our Father, He has a good plan for us. Just as a Father loves his child and disciplines them, so too does our Father love us deeply and longs for a genuine relationship with us. When we are seeking Him, we can feel the anchor tug, we can feel the rod and staff nudging us back on the right path. Whether the path is one of mental clarity where we surrender our anxious thoughts, remember his faithfulness and find our peace knowing our Anchor is strong and our Shepherd is good or if the path is more physical and we truly recognize areas of our lives we could turn control back to God. I encourage us all to reflect on Psalms 23 and Hebrews 6:19 today. Take courage in knowing He is the Shepherd of our soul and our firm, secure Anchor that renews our hope each day.