We live in disturbing, turbulent times. It is good to be reminded that we have the love of God promised to us and that this love will keep us and hold us even when we doubt, even when it is hard to remember His love towards us. God does not forget His promises.
Hebrews 6: 17-19 tells us that God is unchanging, that He does not lie, that He is a consoler and an anchor for our soul. What God has said He has done and what He has promised He will do. Hebrews tells us that God swears by an oath that He swore on Himself to do what He has promised. He does this to make clear the fact that His purpose is unchanging. He certainly did not have to swear an oath but He did so to show His love to us.
"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 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, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6: 17-19
God Consoles Us
God offers us consolation. Consolation means comfort after a loss or a disappointment. Why do we need consoling? Because our experience as humans tells us that people often don't keep their promises, that they often lie. Because the Devil attacks us and makes us doubt the love of God. But God and his Word can always be trusted. They are immutable, unchanging. God's promise is a promise of a future with Him because of the gift of his Son. What better consolation for the trials and troubles of this life can there be than to know that He has prepared a place for us with Him. (For more on God's peace click here.)
God is Our Refuge
We flee to God for refuge looking towards the hope set before us. What is our hope? In Psalm 71: 5 the Psalmist says that "you O Lord are my hope and my trust.". In the Old Testament people would flee to refuge cities to escape death by an "avenger of blood" (Numbers 35: 19) for an accidental death they may have caused. Our Savior offers a safe refuge. Christ conquered death, and as believers, we too, have been given victory over death. Our refuge is our hope. We will never die and His gift of life is eternal. (For more about God as our Refuge click here.)
Our Comforter the Holy Spirit
In Romans 15: 13 Paul tells us
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
So our ability to hope, to have joy and peace, comes from the power of the Holy Spirit filling our lives. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our consoler.
An Anchor of the Soul
Our hope that we have is "an anchor of the soul". What does an anchor do? In this sense it means that when life batters us like a storm, God and His word provide security. God's anchor keeps us from drifting away from our one true love. God's anchor reminds us of His promises and faithfulness to us.
An Anchor to Heaven
Unlike a real anchor that is cast into the depths of the sea, our anchor reaches into the Heavens. Jesus has become our Great High Priest. Jesus can approach God's throne and intercede for us.
Our Savior - Our Hope
As Paul reminds us in Titus 1: 2
"in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,"
Our hope lives in the fact that eternal life was promised before time began by the God of the universe who is unchanging. John tells us in Revelation 13: 8 (b) "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". Before the world was formed our Savior was promised to us.
God provides us with an anchor for our soul, a firm foundation on which to rest our hope! Blessings to all reading this. If you don't have an anchor reach out to the Savior. He is waiting for you.
Hallelujah!!
How Firm a Foundation
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word What more can He say than to you He hath said To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled
Fear not, I am with thee; oh be not dismayed For I am thy God and will still give thee aid I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand
When through the deep waters I call thee to go The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress
When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose I will not, I will not desert to its foes That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake I’ll never, no never, no never forsake
Please enjoy this beautiful version of the great old hymn, How Firm a Foundation here.
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