-- Hebrews 6:19
Someone once asked me what I could not live without. After a pause, I answered, "Hope". Why hope? Imagine a life without hope. Imagine a life without anything to look forward to. Imagine a life that is like today's modern web publishing term: "WYSIWYG" -- what you see is what you get. Imagine being stuck where you are, and that things will never get any better. Imagine.. could you live like that? Could you survive?
I know I couldn't. Starting this blog, I was thinking of an apt title, when I came across the verse above. It jumped right out at me. It's been my "motto" in life, if you like, just that I had not seen it before. Such a wonderful depiction of hope -- an anchor of the soul. Hope does for the soul what an anchor does for a ship. It makes it sure and steadfast. When the storm comes, with its strong winds and tempestous waves, the anchor keeps the ship steady. Otherwise, it will definitely be tossed about, torn into pieces... shipwrecked. Same with our souls. When we face trials, tribulations and the storms of life, hope keeps us from being crushed, so that we do not become shipwrecked in our faith.
But what do we hope in? Like the anchor, we must put our hope in the right place. The anchor must be dropped into the sea bed firmly so that the ship will hold in the midst of a storm. The sea bed is unmovable. Likewise, we must put out hope in something that is unmovable and unchangeable. In this world that we are living in, things change so quickly. Riches are uncertain, as are material things. Unfortunately, even relationships are uncertain. We cannot put our hope in these, as they will disappoint at one point or another. We must put our hope in God. He never changes. He is always there. He does not decide to move away one day!
A good old song by Ray Boltz, "The anchor holds" depicts a strong steadfastness in the midst of a tempestous storm. The chorus goes:-
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
I'm glad that God does not see me as "WYSIWYG". Otherwise, I would have been a lost case. I must admit, I have the tendency to try to fix things myself when going through problems, only to make them worse. I have come to realise more and more, to put my hope in God. When I do so, I have this calm assurance in my heart that although the situation may not change, I can rely and depend on God to help me go through it. It's the most secure place to be. It's not easy, but it works for me.
How about you? Who, or what do you hope in? Is it secure?
2 comments:
Hello, your blog has a serendipitous feel to it :-) Wishing you happy discoveries! Really liked what you said about being 'tuned in' to your own 'Discovery Channel' hehe. Regarding hope, did the boat that Jesus was sleeping on in the midst of the storm have an anchor? Wonder when are boats anchored, how long anchors generally are...anyways, digressing thoughts. Well, I agree that hope is needed as an anchor. God is eternally unchanging. Thank God. :)
oh, that was me, Jo :P feel like Larry the cucumber singing 'oh where is my hairbrush'...cucumbers are bald!
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