Hymn #294 begins with the question: “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?” We’ve come to believe that life owes us calm seas and a prosperous voyage, untroubled by illness or adversity. Often people are unprepared, and even unwilling to prepare, for the inevitable problems and difficulties which they’ll encounter. Until the last moment!
We were never promised an idyllic view of life untroubled by stress of any kind. Our predecessor, Adam, was told in Eden: “Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17-19). Blood, toil, sweat, and tears have always been man’s lot.
Peter tells Christians that they are to obtain “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” but points out that this is “reserved in heaven for you.” While on earth we Christians will experience “various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:4-7). “Beloved,” Peter says, “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing … but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
One thing we have learned from watching endless footage of the devastation of hurricanes Charley and Frances is that if you’re afloat in a storm you need a good anchor. Recall the pictures of large yachts tossed up on land like toys because their mooring lines broke or they were not firmly anchored. Remember other scenes of boats being tossed by the waves like beach balls but remaining at their moorings because they had a firmly seated anchor. You, too, need a really good anchor to ride the storms of life!
The writer of Hebrews, talking about the Christian’s hope, says that it is founded on the unchangeableness of God’s purpose, and His oath, “in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:17-19). The Christian can have confidence in the reality of eternal life which he will enjoy in the presence of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, because God has guaranteed it.
We can stand the greatest pressures and be unwavering in our duty to Jesus Christ and the Father, if we are firmly anchored to the hope of our resurrection to eternal life. The life to come is dependent on our submission and obedience to the will of God in this life on earth. Paul writes: “We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).
A touching line in the song reads: “And the cables, passed from His heart to mine, can defy the blast, thru strength divine.” Are the cables of your heart fastened to His heart?