Anchored
They were experiencing a long night of the soul. God's touch seemed to vanish.
It was 1992. A father had died, health problems were rampant, and he was burned
out after 19 years pastoring. His church was entering the first stages of a
split.
Summer arrived and his wife experienced her third miscarriage. He wept as he
held the 14 week fetus in his hand. During a six month sabbatical, he and his
wife grieved and prayed. And he began to play the piano again.
Then it came-a song in the pain. Lawrence Chewning entitled it, "The Anchor
Holds." Later his friend Ray Boltz contacted him requesting permission to record
it. Ray reworked the lyrics, released it in 1994, and response was overwhelming.
The chorus tells the story: The anchor holds though the ship is battered. The
anchor holds though the sails are torn. I have fallen on my knees as I faced the
raging seas. The anchor holds in spite of the storm.
Anchors are important; so is their weight and what they anchor to. Anchoring to
a dock allows passengers to exit without falling into the water. Heavy anchors
keep fishing vessels stationary long enough to catch fish.
What we anchor our lives to is equally important. The writer offers a good
suggestion; Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews
13:8 NIV).
I've faced more storms than I care to recount, but my anchor of faith holds. God
rides the storms with me as Jesus did with the disciples (Matthew 8:23).
Storms of change, tragedy, disillusionment, depression, financial meltdown,
loss, and turmoil come, but I'm at peace-the anchor holds. It's secured to an
immovable Rock who knows all, controls all, sees all and loves me
unconditionally.
My ship may bruise and the winds tear the sails. It may even rub up against a
few rocks, but I'll never be blown beyond God's perimeter or sink beneath his
reach. Nor will you.
When storms test your anchor, remember it's anchored to an all powerful
unchangeable God.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, remind us the storms of life serve to prove how secure we
are when anchored to You by faith.
Martin Wiles mandmwiles@homesc.com
Harleyville, South Carolina, USA
www.morningliteministry.com