The Anchor of Hope
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 6:13-20
We who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
The writer of Hebrews uses the image of an anchor to describe the confident hope we can have in God. When a boat is in open water, away from a dock, nothing can keep it in place but an anchor. The anchor keeps the boat from drifting off in any direction. No wonder Hebrews calls hope “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” That is what an anchor is for a boat, and that is what hope is for our souls.
Hebrews 6 tells us about two people who assure us that hope in God is an anchor for the soul. The first is Abraham. God promised Abraham land and descendants. Even though those promises were threatened many times during Abraham’s life, Abraham hoped in the anchor of God’s promises, and those promises eventually were fulfilled. The second person is Jesus, “our forerunner.” Jesus ran ahead of us. He ran the race of human life. He ran through death, and he returned victorious to life, rising from the dead. Following in his footsteps gives us an anchor for our souls. Because he lived, died, and rose, we have hope that God will also give us new life after death.
When the waters of life get rough, or when we can’t see the shore, let our hope in Jesus be the anchor for our souls.
Faithful God, we often feel like a boat that is far from shore. At those times, and at every time, give us the sure anchor of hope in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
About the author — Rebecca Jordan Heys
Rebecca Jordan Heys serves as a pastor at Calvin Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She and her husband, Kyle, are the parents of two children.
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