Jesus our Anchor

A sailor prepares his vessel when he knows there is a storm coming. One of the first things a sailor does is put down his anchor. An anchor’s single purpose is to hold the vessel in a particular place using a fluke or pointed projection that digs into the bottom of the sea. Let’s take a lesson from the sailor’s preparations and apply it to the storms of life.

When sailors see a storm coming, a diver will often be sent down to see what the anchor is bedded in. They make sure the anchor is set well. For example, if the anchor is set in the grass, and it begins to drag, then grass and mud can prevent the anchor from being able to reset.

A sailor understands their anchor system and ensures their anchor will hold up during a storm. If they don’t have faith that their anchor is strong and will keep hold, the sailor can become fearful during a storm.

When in a crowded harbor, sailors often set up an anchor watch system if a storm is approaching. These are generally 3 hours shifts. If a boat is seen dragging and coming towards another, they alert the boat’s occupants.

When a boat is seen dragging anchor, the sailor can use fenders to protect the boat or work with the other boat owner to find a solution.

A sailor ensures his chain is strong. Chains need to be replaced every 3-5 years. The chain is only as strong as the weakest link. The sailor must let out enough chain or rope in a storm. Most sailors use a ratio of around 3 to 5 times the depth in calm weather. But for a storm, you’ll want to increase that figure 7 or 8 times for more horizontal pull.

There are spiritual lessons we can learn from the sailor who prepares his boat for a storm. The steps he takes shows us steps we need to take as well.

Dive down and look at your anchor and visually check where your anchor is set.

Is your anchor Jesus or worldly solutions? What are you connected to? Think about how much time we spend listening to or reading news, commentary, or opinion pieces compared to how much time we spend reading the Bible, listening to sermons, having devotions and engaging in prayer. Which is the better use of our mind. For example: the news is not an anchor, it’s fluid. It doesn’t hold anything steady because the news cycle constantly changes. While God’s word is secure truth. A storm can come, the wind may blow, but anchored in God and His truths, you are stable. This is our assurance: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Let’s not be tossed about by the waves of different thoughts.

We won’t be tossed and blown about
by every wind of new teaching.
We will not be influenced when people try to trick us
with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 
Instead, we will speak the truth in love,
growing in every way more and more like Christ,
who is the head of his body, the church.
Eph 4:14,15 NLT
Maybe you should dive down and check your anchor, in who or what have you placed your faith?

Check your Chain and see if it is strong and let out the appropriate amount in a storm.

The links in the chain, think of them as thoughts. Is your chain of thoughts firm and secure? Does your chain of thoughts firmly hold onto your anchor Jesus? One little fear can separate you from the anchor. That’s why we take every thought captive (or chained to) obey Christ. If your thought life is filled with anxiety and fear, it’s time to exchange it for a new thought life, just as a sailor needs to renew his chain periodically.

Institute an anchor watch system

Who around you do you trust to watch out for you. When we are in a storm or know a storm is brewing, we need people to watch out for us. They can see if there is anything that would collide into us. Their encouragement would remind us to put our boundaries (fenders) up and be prepared for any impact which could damage us. Good friends and counselors can be apart of our watch system.

Being anchored doesn’t take the storm away, but you’ll be secure during the storm. We all go through storms. It’s wet, windy, loud, and uncomfortable. Do you have faith in your anchor? Not being assured in your relationship with Jesus or knowing the Bible can make you more nervous when you know your storm will be extended.

Storms come, and even the Bible talks about pretty crazy circumstances like: pestilence, destruction, and terror. For those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High and say “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust, the Bible goes on to say:

You shall not be afraid
of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

God assures us by saying:

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
Psalms 91:5,6,14,15 NKJV

The Spiritual Anchor resembles the cross, the anchor is a religious symbol representing salvation, steadfast belief, and hope and faith in Christ. The anchor also symbolizes safety, security, confidence hope, stability and consistent faith.

How’s your Anchor? Is it ready for a storm?

Have you dove down and visually checked where you anchor is set?

Do you have an anchor watch system set up?

Jesus as our anchor keeps us grounded and prevents us from being drug into life’s danger. How thankful we can be that in the midst of a storm, this is where we can feel the peace that only Jesus gives.

Here is a link to the podcast version of this blog. https://anchor.fm/kim-griffin

-Kim

Scriptures used: Hebrews 13:8 ESV, Eph. 4:14-15 NLT, 2 Cor 10:5 ESV, Portions of Psalm 91 NKJV, Hebrews 6:18-20 ESV

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