I am sure that most of you know what an anchor looks like and that it is used to keep boats and ships from drifting. When thrown overboard the hooks on the anchor catch on rocks or other objects on the bottom of the ocean and hold the ship.
A ship traveling from England to Turkey was caught in a storm. Reaching a harbor port, the captain signaled for the anchor to be let down. However, the wind was so strong that the anchor began to drag. It could not catch hold on anything on the sea bottom. A second anchor was let down, but it could not catch on the sandy bottom either. Little by little the ship was drifting closer to shore. Soon it would be grounded.
There was one anchor left, but it was a small one. No one thought it would do any good, but since it was their last hope the captain ordered it to be let down. Much to their surprise the chain tightened and the ship stopped drifting! The little anchor held, and the ship was able to ride out the storm in safety.
The next day when the sailors lifted the anchors, the two big anchors came up easily because they had never caught on the bottom. But raising the little anchor was a different matter. The crew worked for a long time and finally were able to get the anchor to move, but it was very heavy. Something was coming up with it!
When it was finally raised out of the water, the sailors saw that the little anchor had caught onto a huge anchor belonging to an old sailing ship that either had sunk or had lost its anchor there. The huge anchor had caught on a rock. It was this huge anchor caught on a rock that had steadied their ship. The little anchor had hooked onto it and then all the strength of the rock belonged to the little anchor.
What are you using as an anchor for your soul? Is it something you hope will hold and steady you? Hope is not firm and it will not hold by itself. It has to be set in something firm and solid, just like the little anchor was set in the rock. You need to set your hope in the Rock—the Lord Jesus Christ. Only He can save you, hold you and protect you from the storm of punishment for your sins. Won’t you let Jesus be your Rock by accepting Him as your Saviour? He is the “anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:1919Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (Hebrews 6:19)).
“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust” (Psalm 18:22The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2)).
ML-08/31/1997