By: Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19a)
On our community’s nearby lake, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the temperature was just right for spending a fun-filled day on the water. Throughout the afternoon we had a great time water skiing, knee boarding, tubing, and swimming. We were so engrossed in our fun that we hadn’t noticed the thick clouds forming in the distance. Tired and needing a break we headed for a cove. With the boat securely anchored, we decided to spend a little time relaxing… or so we thought.
Our peaceful day was about to take a turn for the worse.
Without warning the sky grew dark, and a powerful wind plowed through the valley. In the distance, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, announcing the arrival of a summer storm. We needed to get our boat back to the marina!
In our panic we almost took off with the boat still tethered to the anchor. Realizing our mistake, my husband turned off the engine and scrambled to the front of the boat. He began pulling with all his might, but the anchor wouldn’t budge. Seeing his struggle, the kids and I gathered by his side to offer our help. The anchor was obviously caught on something very large at the bottom of the lake—but what?
After several pulls on the rope, we got our answer. Like a scene from a horror movie, a rotted old tree slowly arose from its watery grave. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. Our anchor had attached itself to a fallen tree at the bottom of the lake. Just when my husband was about to cut the line, the tree broke loose, and we were free, heading to safety.
I wonder how many of us go through life thinking we are securely anchored in our faith, only to find in the midst of a storm, that we have tethered ourselves to the wrong hold.
The storms of life will reveal the foundation of our anchor. But when our faith and hope are in Jesus, we have nothing to fear. The Lord is our refuge and strength; He is our shelter in the tempest. In Him, we can weather any storm—safe and secure.
“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’ “He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’” (Matthew 8:23-27)
