Hope for Your Heart: Finding Strength in Life's Storms by June Hunt Read Free Book Online Page A

will change yours. So join me now on your own treasure hunt to discover the power of an unfailing Anchor.

PHYSICS PHENOMENON
    I’m sure you know anchors are a nautical necessity. But are you aware they’re also a phenomenon of physics?An anchor weighing a mere forty-five pounds can hold a four-thousand-pound ship in place. Although winds howl and waves swell, a ship will not be carried out to sea as long as the anchor tightly grips the ocean floor. Although anchors come in various sizes and shapes, ultimately all serve one purpose for a boat or ship: “keepin’ her afloat.” In addition:

Anchors are typically connected to a boat or ship by a rode, a long chain or a heavy line with a short chain. Some anchors are fastened securely to the water’s flooring to hold down a large object (such as an oil rig). Other anchors are like large sheets or parachutes thrown into deep water in order to slow or stabilize a vessel.
The English word
anchor
is a translation of a Greek word derived from the word
ankos
, which means “curve.” 1 Anchors are usually curved to hook on to a solid base.
Anchors are a symbol of the sea and represent hope and steadfastness. (The United States Navy often uses this emblem.)
Anchors are often used as Christian symbols to represent Christ, who provides security for believers, holding them secure no matter how severe the storm. This symbol was especially significant to the heavily persecuted early church. Many etchings of anchors have been discovered in the catacombs of Rome, where Christians held their meetings in hiding. Threatened with death because of their faith, these committed Christians used the anchor as a disguised cross and as a marker to guide the way to their secret meetings. Located beneath the ancient city, six hundred miles of these tomb-like burial chambers served as a place of refuge during perilous times of persecution. Thus the anchor, found even on some tombstones today, has become the symbol of guaranteed hope for the eternal security of true Christians.

AN ANCHOR FOR EVERY TRIAL
    Conditions at sea vary—from perfectly peaceful to the perfect storm. Over the centuries sailors have crafted numerous anchors to address the unique needs of vessels amidst a wide range of environmental conditions.
    The trials of life are much the same, arriving with different levels of intensity and duration. To hold us secure, we need an unfailing anchor—one specifically sized to our capacity, adapted to our needs, and able to function flawlessly . . . every single time.
    For the believer, Jesus is that Anchor. Consider now just five of the many commonly used anchors and how they reflect the miraculous, mysterious, and matchless staying power of Christ.

#1: THE MUSHROOM ANCHOR
    Mostly used for smaller craft such as rowboats and canoes—vessels not anticipating major turbulence—the mushroom anchor is the least efficient of the five types because it has no “arms.” 2

    Jesus is our anchor.
As the mushroom anchor is used for smaller watercraft, Jesus stabilizes us even as we move through the seemingly “smaller,” minor problems of everyday living. He helps us stay steady with people who gossip and gripe, those who lie and are lazy, those who pout and are petty, those who annoy and are nosy. Jesus anchors us when we have frustrating friends, problems with pets, worry at work . . . and the list goes on.
    Biblical example
:Some of the disciples of Jesus who were fishermen by trade experienced the frustration of working all night, only to end up empty-handed. Knowing this, Jesus told them, “‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’” 3 Jesus then honored their obedience by filling their nets with more fish than they could possibly hold.
    Jesus has proven Himself to be my personal “mushroom anchor”
amidst the everyday trials