Maundy Thursday, March 29, 2018
Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus ...
STORM SURVIVAL
Once there was a man who was walking on the shore of a lake when a violent storm blew in. It was late in the evening and the sky was growing dark. As he looked out over the water he noticed the shadowy outline of a sailboat floating a hundred yards offshore. He thought to himself: no way that vessel will withstand this storm! The wind is too strong and waves too boisterous! It's going to be capsized! When he came back to the shore in the morning he was surprised to see the sailboat floating in the same location. How had it survived the storm, he wondered? Then he noticed: it was fastened by an anchor to the floor of the lake.
What encouragement for us as God's people to know that, in storms of life we encounter, we have an anchor for our souls that holds us fast. When the burden of our sins threatens to rob our souls of peace we have the Gospel assurance: "O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins" (Psalm 130:7-8). When tribulations come our way, threatening to dash our ship of life on the rocks, the Savior is there to pilot us safely through the dangerous reefs, saying to us: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). When circumstances arise that make us feel like our ship of life is about to founder, He sets our hearts at ease through such words of Scripture as: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging" (Psalm 46:1-3). Even when the hour of our departure draws near Jesus won't allow us to sink into despair. He enables us to say with the calm assurance of faith: "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad. My flesh also will rest in hope" (Psalm 16:8-9).
Satan will try to steal away our Christian hope but he can't. We have the strongest possible anchor: Christ and His work as our High Priest.
His oath, His covenant, and blood Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 370:3)
