Monday, March 8, 2010

You need an anchor in these changing times of life

Good morning my friends. As you begin your day I hope you begin it with the assurance that you can trust God. We would be in a lot of trouble if we could not trust him. Imagine if he had our character; weak and constantly changing. We would be pretty messed up right now, not knowing whether God was going to stand by his promises or not today. However, there are two things about God that never change which assures us that he will stay true to his promises; his character and purpose remain the same. God is incapable of lying.

We live in a world that is in constant flux. In the last month there have been at least six reported earth quakes over 6.0. The ground on which we stand has the illusion of being unchanging but in truth it is moving, changing and being reshaped. As you go into work or school today you will be confronted with change. People will be missing, furniture may be changed around, the office might be a different colour, a pink slip may be waiting for you. What appeared solid and dependable yesterday has shifted on you today. However, it is the opposite with God and his promises.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a clear example of God's dependability:

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. (Hebrews 6:13-15)

Examples are great but how do we know that what was applied to Abraham will be applied to us? That's when it becomes a matter of character. If someone in your life, who has broken every promise they have ever made to you, gives you another promise, I doubt you will take them seriously. However, if someone else, who has always kept their promises, made you a promise, you would treat it as if it was already done. You trust them because their character have proven worthy of trust. This is the same for our heavenly Father:

Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 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. (Hebrews 6:16-18)

God's promises are better than money in the bank. For those of you who heat your home with wood, I simply say that his promises are as sure as the promise of that wood pile. A lot of things can change but that pile of wood means that none of that change will affect your ability to heat your home. We Christians are a people of hope but not hope as this world understands hope. The world hopes for things that are a possibility with the right conditions. Our hope is a fact, a thing we lean on in difficult times, an anchor in the storms of our lives:

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19)

When everything else changes, fails us, disappears, the promises of God keep us anchored to his reality. It is not an anchor that is placed in sand that is always shifting but instead it is fixed in the Rock that never changes. Our God does not change. The cross does not change. The empty tomb does not change. The Holy Spirit does not change. The Father's purpose does not change. Jesus' abiding presence does not change. His promise to return for us has not changed. Eternity has not changed. All his promises that govern us today, in this place does not change. So, going back a few chapters, I remind you of what the Spirit instructed us to do:

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. (Hebrews 3:1) 

Regardless of what changes you will face today remember where your anchor is fixed. If this is where your mind and heart is fixed then nothing you face today will be able to take you away from the reality of our hope in Jesus Christ. Enjoy your day as you experience the peace that goes beyond our understanding.

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