The Anchor That Holds
I started running track when I was about 5-6 years old. I liked to run fast. I only knew one speed, wide-open. I only knew one distance…short. I did not like to run long distances, and I still don’t. I like to run short distances very fast, and then I want to be done.
One of my favorite races was the relay race: four people working together to run an overall distance as fast as possible, each person running an equal distance. The person running the last leg is called the anchor. The anchor is generally the person that runs the fastest and the most consistent race repeatedly in practice. That person carries the weight of the team. If the team is a little behind, the anchor is expected to catch up; and if the team is ahead, the anchor is expected to at least maintain the lead.
Tug-of-war is another game where we see an anchor. The last person on the rope for each team is the anchor. It is a focal point of the team and that person is expected not to move forward but also to pull the rope backwards. That person is usually the strongest and biggest person on the team and is able to dig in and hold the line steady, giving support and strength to the rest of the team.
The other example I think about is a boat. An anchor is something you put down in the water, and it generally drops down to the water’s floor. It is either heavy enough or shaped in a way that holds the position of the boat on top of the water in a specific location.
Hebrews 6:18-20 says, …that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us: which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil; whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
We just learned in our series on emotional health that our soul is made up of our mind, will, and emotions. Pastor Michael did a great job of teaching that our spirit is at the center of our being; and when we come into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God transforms our spirit by His spirit. He deposits His very nature and character inside of us at the very core of our being. By doing so, the nature of God becomes the Holy place of our being, just like in the temple of the Old Testament, where the Holy of Holies was the place of God's presence.
It was in the Holy of Holies that the priests entered to minister to the Lord; and when they would go into the Most Holy Place, they had a rope tied around their ankle. There was a very real fear when going into the Holy of Holies, or God's presence, that you might not come out alive and would need to be pulled out with the rope. Jesus became the ultimate high priest when He was crucified and went into God’s presence without a rope and no safety line. He was found acceptable and opened God’s presence to everyone who would follow Jesus.
I remind you that our spirit is the center of our being and, having had the curse of sin broken and the seed of an incorruptible God being deposited into our spirit, is now an anchor for my entire being. Our mind, will, and emotions are now anchored to our spirit, which is now incorruptible by God’s grace.
Often the trouble in our lives is when we anchor our lives on our intellect, our emotions, or our desire to be in control. This verse suggests that our soul should be anchored to our spirit, not the other way around. Our incorruptible spirit man, as the anchor of our soul, can be the strength we need. Think about our soul as being the boat on top of the water in the middle of the ocean. When the winds and waves come, we are easily tossed around without being tethered to something more solid and firm. The anchor (incorruptible Holy Spirit) from the boat (our mind, will, emotions) is what goes down into the water and provides stability to the boat, so that it is not so prone and susceptible to the conditions (life circumstances) on top of the water.
The verse in Hebrews (one of my favorites) should bring us so much comfort and peace when we think about the fact that we do have an anchor for our soul and it is the person of the Holy Spirit. Great news - now I can have emotions without them being in the driver’s seat of my life. I can have intelligence with original thoughts and not have to be devoid of emotion or leaning on my own understanding of things to guide me. And yes, I can even have a will that does not have to be in control.
Selah
JOURNAL:
PRAYER: Father, lead me into Your presence today. Help me to find a place of refuge and rest in You that will calm my heart and mind, no matter the circumstances my life encounters. In hope, You are the forerunner, and I am grateful that I am seated in heavenly places with You today (in my spirit). I love You.
One of my favorite races was the relay race: four people working together to run an overall distance as fast as possible, each person running an equal distance. The person running the last leg is called the anchor. The anchor is generally the person that runs the fastest and the most consistent race repeatedly in practice. That person carries the weight of the team. If the team is a little behind, the anchor is expected to catch up; and if the team is ahead, the anchor is expected to at least maintain the lead.
Tug-of-war is another game where we see an anchor. The last person on the rope for each team is the anchor. It is a focal point of the team and that person is expected not to move forward but also to pull the rope backwards. That person is usually the strongest and biggest person on the team and is able to dig in and hold the line steady, giving support and strength to the rest of the team.
The other example I think about is a boat. An anchor is something you put down in the water, and it generally drops down to the water’s floor. It is either heavy enough or shaped in a way that holds the position of the boat on top of the water in a specific location.
Hebrews 6:18-20 says, …that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us: which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil; whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
We just learned in our series on emotional health that our soul is made up of our mind, will, and emotions. Pastor Michael did a great job of teaching that our spirit is at the center of our being; and when we come into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God transforms our spirit by His spirit. He deposits His very nature and character inside of us at the very core of our being. By doing so, the nature of God becomes the Holy place of our being, just like in the temple of the Old Testament, where the Holy of Holies was the place of God's presence.
It was in the Holy of Holies that the priests entered to minister to the Lord; and when they would go into the Most Holy Place, they had a rope tied around their ankle. There was a very real fear when going into the Holy of Holies, or God's presence, that you might not come out alive and would need to be pulled out with the rope. Jesus became the ultimate high priest when He was crucified and went into God’s presence without a rope and no safety line. He was found acceptable and opened God’s presence to everyone who would follow Jesus.
I remind you that our spirit is the center of our being and, having had the curse of sin broken and the seed of an incorruptible God being deposited into our spirit, is now an anchor for my entire being. Our mind, will, and emotions are now anchored to our spirit, which is now incorruptible by God’s grace.
Often the trouble in our lives is when we anchor our lives on our intellect, our emotions, or our desire to be in control. This verse suggests that our soul should be anchored to our spirit, not the other way around. Our incorruptible spirit man, as the anchor of our soul, can be the strength we need. Think about our soul as being the boat on top of the water in the middle of the ocean. When the winds and waves come, we are easily tossed around without being tethered to something more solid and firm. The anchor (incorruptible Holy Spirit) from the boat (our mind, will, emotions) is what goes down into the water and provides stability to the boat, so that it is not so prone and susceptible to the conditions (life circumstances) on top of the water.
The verse in Hebrews (one of my favorites) should bring us so much comfort and peace when we think about the fact that we do have an anchor for our soul and it is the person of the Holy Spirit. Great news - now I can have emotions without them being in the driver’s seat of my life. I can have intelligence with original thoughts and not have to be devoid of emotion or leaning on my own understanding of things to guide me. And yes, I can even have a will that does not have to be in control.
Selah
JOURNAL:
- In thinking about your life, is there one (or more) areas of your soul that fight for the anchor of your life?
- Take some time this week to lean in to the Spirit of God and allow His presence to anchor you with His thoughts about you.
PRAYER: Father, lead me into Your presence today. Help me to find a place of refuge and rest in You that will calm my heart and mind, no matter the circumstances my life encounters. In hope, You are the forerunner, and I am grateful that I am seated in heavenly places with You today (in my spirit). I love You.
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