God Speaking

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure….” (Hebrews 6:19)

When I was younger I once attended a church where the choir leader and the only musician was the Rector’s wife. She couldn’t be called the organist as the only musical instrument the church possessed was an old piano, long past its prime, but the way she approached her task with undisguised enthusiasm was something to be admired. One of her favourite hymns to play was, “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?”, and if I close my eyes I can see her wildly hitting the keys and coaxing music from what looked like to us and an impossible old relic, and as her voice, also little past its prime, rose to a crescendo a wonderful feeling pervaded the congregation. We knew she could answer that question with as much enthusiasm as she was pounding that keyboard. She knew the answer to the storms of life was that anchor of hope in the Lord.

The word, hope, has lost a lot of its original meaning in today’s society and is sometimes used in a negative way e.g. “I hope that doesn’t mean something terrible is about to happen” or, “I hope we can trust that to be true” etc. People have diminished the real sense of the word to a joking rejoinder, “Here’s hoping!”

Scripture has quite a different way of looking at the word and when coupled with the name of the Lord, it embodies total strength, unswerving trust, supreme confidence, no signs of “perhaps” to undermine its power. The psalmists knew that reminding themselves of that hope drew them out of worry, took away the fear of the unknown, steadying them to face with confidence what lay ahead.

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress. I will not be shaken” (Psalm 62:5-6)

In a world constantly beset with worry, doubt and fear of the future we need to go back to God’s word and to anchor ourselves in the wonderful promise that indeed there is something unchanging, something to be relied on, a rock to cling to. We can trust that what is in store for us has been planned and carefully overseen by a loving heavenly Father.

“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

In the New Testament we learn that this “hope” has now become a person and this beautiful culmination of Isaiah‘s prophesy is the Lord Jesus Christ himself;

“And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will spring up, one who will rise to rule over nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.”” (Romans 15:12)

One of the definitions of the word hope in the dictionary is; desire combined with expectation. I feel this fits a beautiful approach to Jesus. When our true desires are centred on him we can confidently hope in him not with doubts, not trusting in “luck” like the world, not with fingers crossed, but with calm acceptance that he is the anchor who will hold us fast whatever storms is raging around us. A modern version of what “hope” is in found in this hymn.

My hope is in you, Lord

all the day long

I won’t be shaken by

drought or storm

A peace that passes

understanding is my song

and I sing

my hope is in you, Lord.

And Paul sums up a beautiful blessing for all of us to hold tightly to,

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Related articles

• Morning Prayer ~ September 3, 2012 (ronpogue.typepad.com)
• “Picked Out Special” (hegavemehope.wordpress.com)
• The Corner of Grace and Mercy: Psalm 35:22-25 (psalmslife.com)