Captain
and Anchor of Hope
We have this hope as an anchor for the
soul, firm and secure.
Hebrews 6:19
The storm blew up without warning, and
the two ships began to be tossed about. The helmsman of the sailing
vessel, Omega, ordered the deckhands to drop the mainsail and
lash everything down. The navigator quickly searched his charts for a
cove or inlet along the coast that might offer shelter. Finding a
small cove not far away, he advised the Captain. “Take her in and
drop anchor,” the Captain ordered the helmsman. “We’ll ride out
the storm there.”
With the boat securely anchored on the
leeward side of the cove, they were able to drift without being
battered against the shoreline or be carried back out to sea.
Confident that his crew and boat were safe, the Captain told his men
to get some sleep, and did the same. They would resume travel in the
morning when the storm was past.
The captain of the Damnatus made
a move he would not live to regret. Not having knowledge of the coast
along this stretch of land, he ordered his crew, “Run parallel to
the shore, men! Keep us two miles out. We’ll sail south for awhile
and see if the storm passes.”
Unknown to the Captain, there was a
rocky shoal not far away. A mere two miles south of where the Omega
was anchored, the Damnatus struck the outcropping of rock and
sank in less than five minutes. Only one crewman survived. He told of
how the captain had realized his error in judgment too late. His last
words were, “I am sorry, men! Abandon ship! Swim for shore, and may
God have mercy on our souls!”
†
Knowing something about sailing before
joining a crew is wise. But even more crucial is having a Captain Who
intimately knows the waters you’ll be navigating, and knows when to
direct you to drop anchor in safe harbor.
With Jesus as our Captain and Anchor of
Hope we can navigate any spiritual waters, avoiding the pitfalls that
lie just beneath the surface.
To navigate our own course will see us
tossed upon the waves of life, possibly even shipwrecked, our soul
lost at sea.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, Captain of
my life, steer me through the treacherous waters that threaten my
life. Be my Anchor of Hope. Amen.”
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