God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:18-19
Each year, our family looks forward to a week of vacation at the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Florida. We are blessed to be able to rent a house near the headwaters of the Rainbow Springs and for one glorious week, we do absolutely nothing but sit by or in the water and relax. We take a friend for each of our sons, two canoes and two kayaks. We do not put on shoes for one whole week as we travel by water wherever we want to go. It is the time each year where I truly slow down. I have no agenda, clock, or to do list. Because the river water is very cold, 78 degrees year round, I also have no hot flashes! For seven days, my only concern is how big an inner tube I should chose as I spend my week sitting in the middle of the Rainbow River. Each morning, I throw an anchor tied to a rope off the dock. I use an anchor because if I don’t the current will pull me all the way down the river and into the Gulf of Mexico. Holding the anchor line, I ease myself into the tube, yikes that water is cold first thing in the morning, and pull myself by the rope towards the anchor until I am far enough away from the dock that jumping boys will not splash me, but close enough that I am not in the way of the boaters. I tie the tube in place, set up my umbrella (my response to being a skin cancer prone Florida native) and just float there until I am so wrinkled that I look like I am 90 years old. That never stops me from staying in all day long. The only thing that brings me in is a thunderstorm. Not only am I afraid of lightening, but being doused by rain makes the river water seem even colder. By the end of the week, my brain is as mushy and frozen as a Slurpee, my heart rate is slow and I am completely at peace. As much as I would enjoy being able to do that throughout the year, the house and its wonderful river setting are only ours for a week. But, I have another anchor to which I can tether my soul all year round, my hope in God. There are two things that I know for sure about God. He loves me, and He is in control of all things. Even when the storm clouds come, as they inevitably will, you don’t have to get out of your tube and run into the house like I do at the river. Just sit tight, hold onto your anchor and know that He will never fail. No matter what you are facing today, don’t feel like you are adrift. God is with you and will not fail you. Anchor your soul on Him. Hope in Him. He will not let you go.
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