Anchored with Hope

“In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose,
interposed with an oath , so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,
we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us…”
Hebrews 6:17-20a

The ancient Anglo-Saxon meaning of the word “hope” does not mean foundationless expectations but rather confidence in something yet to be, with an accompanying endeavor to reach it.

I think again of the hymn, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” I am so glad that it is Jesus’ righteousness and not my own that is an anchor for my soul. He is truly righteous having lived a sinless life here on earth.

To think that He took off that robe of righteousness and exchanged it at the cross for my robe of sin and shame is incredible! But that is exactly what the Son of God did! If I were left to my own righteousness, I would be forever striving to reach to an unapproachable, perfect God. But because of Jesus’ righteousness in me through the Holy Spirit, I can come to the throne of grace and receive forgiveness and guidance and sonship and grace.

I take refuge from the daily onslaught of the enemies arrows in Christ. As I read the paper or hear the news or fall once again to my pride, I am overwhelmed with grief and fear. But when I enter into the hope of the righteousness of Christ, I know that God is on His throne and that He holds me in His hands now and for all eternity. No matter what Satan and this life can throw at me, my hope will remain in the daily presence of God and in eternity spent with the Father.

Where is your hope anchored? Does it have a strong mooring of the truth of God’s word and His promises? Knowing and studying the Word of God places the Christians anchor ever deeper into a solid rock that cannot be moved.