When The Anchor Moves

“We have this HOPE as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure.”

Hebrews 6:19

God continues to teach me using the symbol of an anchor. This post is just one in an Anchor series. If you have not yet read Anchor, Anchor of Hope, and Equip This Vessel, I would encourage you to read those posts since each one builds on the other.

In the first Anchor post, I shared how I heard God whisper in my spirit “I will be your anchor. Hold on with both hands.”  “Hold on with both hands? Why? What’s going to happen in 2015 that will cause me to hold with both hands?” A feeling of dread washed over me. God whispered again “Everything will be okay, but you’re going to have to hold on to my anchor with both hands.” A sense of relief replaced the dread; God said it was going to be okay.

“I have told you these things so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

God continues to use the symbol of an anchor to bring comfort.  An anchor is a symbol of hope. When the storms of life come, and they will come, we can cling to our Anchor. In Christ we have an anchor of hope for our soul, firm and secure!

My mind drifts to nautical terms and all things related to the sea. In 2012 we visited my husband’s home city of Norfolk, VA. Town Point Park is located along the water’s edge of Norfolk. Resting in the center of the park is an anchor removed from the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Antietam CV-36. This anchor weighs donated by the Naval Historical Center weighs 30,000 pounds! (I wish I would find the photograph of the kids sitting atop that anchor).

Until now, I have been focusing on the reason to drop an anchor. I’ve been focusing on the storms of life and trouble that we are reminded will come (John 16:33). I have been focusing on dropping an anchor to weather the storm. Luke describes in detail the account of

Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27-28. Paul tells the captain of the boat to drop all four anchors to weather the storm. “Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight” (Acts 27:29).

When a ship drops anchor, it does so to:

1. Keep the vessel from drifting away

2. Stabilize itself from the waves and current

3. Maintain current location/position

4. Preserve the ship from being shipwrecked in a storm.

5. Stay put

But then, God showed me the significance of raising an anchor. When the captain of a ship raises the anchor, it signifies to the passengers that it is time to move on the next port-of-call. When an anchor is raised, it is time to move on to the next new adventure!  

When a ship raises the anchor it does so to:

1. Leave its current port-of-call

2. Set sail to a new adventure

3. It signifies a new journey ahead.

I don’t know what lies ahead for this year. Will continue to have our anchor dropped at our current location? Will God raise the anchor and set sail for a new adventure? I don’t know what God has up His holy sleeve, but I trust in the Captain of my vessel. I am holding firm to His anchor.

~April

Image created courtesy of Pixabay and Picmonkey