WHEN STORMS RAGE
“Be strong and of good courage . . . be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee . . .” (Joshua 1:9)
Bob and Sylvia lived in the Chicago area. Their favorite hobby was sailing; and their favorite haunt was the Great Lakes region. This is known as the largest freshwater system in the world; it includes five Great Lakes feeding into it – to include Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lakes Erie and Ontario. The area spans a total surface area of 94,600 square miles. On one occasion a storm suddenly developed. While they attempted to navigate their sailboat to safety, the craft ran aground. As the waves rose higher, they made the decision to drop anchor quickly. That was a wise step to have taken. The anchor held the sailboat in place until they could be rescued. Experts say, if they had not dropped anchor, their boat would certainly have been lost. It is believed that without the anchor the merciless waves would have demolished the vessel against the shoreline.
Today, while we are on our faith journey, we also need anchors that hold us secure in our spiritual life. After the death of Moses, the leader of Israel, we read of God calling Joshua to lead His people. So, Joshua had a mob of stubborn Jews to lead into the Promised Land. But God gave Joshua “Anchors of His promise” that were reliable in trying times. The Lord promised to accompany him; and to never desert him. God also gave Joshua and his people the “Book of the Law” to guide their footsteps in obedience to God’s command. In addition, they also were blessed with the presence of God, (Joshua 1:5-9) to serve as anchors of protection when they faced numerous challenges.
When we face the heat of suffering, sickness, or heart break; and doubts begin to creep in to chip away at our confidence in God, let us be reminded of the God-given anchors at our disposal. May we stay anchored on nothing less than God’s presence with us through our storms, and God’s trustworthy promises that fail not. Then we will experience the peace of God that will securely hold us until we are rescued from the raging storms.