Anchored in Hope
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” — Hebrews 6:19
A week ago, Danette and I got home from the maiden voyage of the newest Disney cruiseliner, the Destiny. When we pulled into port on embarkation day and saw the ship, I was mesmerized by its size and beauty. The vessel measures 1,200 feet long, weighs 144,000 gross tons, and accommodates 4,000 passengers and over 1,500 crew members.* It was massive!
I wondered how the crew was keeping this giant ship in place in the port. Then I noticed several heavy-duty mooring lines fastened from the ship to robust bollards on the dock, keeping the ship in place. This is the usual way these ships are docked. But I found myself wondering about their anchor, which prevents movement and holds the vessel in place when no port is available. The anchors would be used during emergencies, adverse weather conditions, or to anchor offshore at a busy or shallow port. While the size and weight of the Destiny’s anchor have not been released, two of its sister ships’ anchors weigh over 28,000 tons each, and these ships each have two. I love that this giant ship can be secured and made immovable with its anchors.
At the beginning of this Advent season, we focus on hope. Worldly hope is wishful thinking or a longing that something will happen, but without the certainty that it will. We may hope that it doesn’t rain on our day at the beach. Or, perhaps we hope to spend family time during the holidays. But this hope is circumstantial and uncertain.
The only lasting, eternal hope is a hope anchored in God. It is so much more than optimism or expectation. It refers to a steady confidence and certainty. This hope begins with who God is-faithful, good, loving, merciful, powerful, present, and unchanging, to name a few.
The Bible has so many stories of hope, always connected to God’s faithfulness, His promises, and His presence. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, but he did not lose hope, and God used him in a position of power in Egypt, where he saved his family from famine. Ruth, whose husband died, remained loyal to her mother-in-law and did not lose hope that God would provide, which He did by giving her Boaz as the kinsman-redeemer. Hannah, who was barren and longing for a baby, did not lose hope but prayed and prayed and remained faithful, and God heard her and gave her a son.
The most extraordinary story of hope in the Bible is that of Jesus. Prophets in the Old Testament foretold the hope of the coming of Jesus. One example of these prophecies is found in Isaiah 9:6-7: “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.” What a message of hope! God would send His Son to redeem and restore sinful man. And, we know that this prophecy came to pass. Jesus was born, lived a perfect life, was crucified on a cross to take on the sins of the world, and resurrected on the third day to overcome death. Because of Jesus’ acts of love and obedience, we have the hope of an abundant life here on earth and of eternal life to come.
We also hope for Jesus’s return to usher in a new, eternal kingdom. The New Testament gives us many examples of these prophecies. One of these is found in Matthew 24:30, which says, “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
When we are anchored to God, even when everything around us seems to change, our hope is steady. We can rest assured that God is at work in our story. He has never broken a promise. He has never failed to finish what He starts. And He has provided a way for us through Jesus.
During this first week of Advent, may we live in the confidence that God is near, that He loves us, and that He wants what is best for us. And may we pass Hope on to those around us who need Him desperately.
*[Source: https://gangwaze.com/blog/disney-cruise-ships-by-size]
Call to Action
-Ask God to renew your sense of hope.
-At the end of each day, write down where you saw God at work.
-Send a text, call, or pray for someone who needs an extra dose of hope in their life.
-Replace negative, hopeless thoughts with truth from Scripture.
Digging Deeper
Read these hope verses: Lamentations 3:21-23, Proverbs 24:14, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 8:24-25, Romans 15:13, Hebrews 10:23, 1 Peter 1:3.
Prayer
God, thank You that You are the anchor of my soul. Teach me to place my hope in who You are. Give me strength in the waiting, courage in uncertainty, and peace in Your promises. Help me carry hope to others as You carry me. Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Kyle Cravens
