#4 The Claw Anchor
-Originally designed for offshore gas and oil rigs
-Most effective on rocky, gravel, and coral bottoms
Jesus is our anchor. Jesus stabilizes us when we are victimized. This covers verbal abuse, violence, or sexual abuse, which claws the heart and body. It leaves us emotionally and spiritually scarred. For the times when we feel powerless, Jesus is our powerful anchor–holding us strong and secure.
Biblical example: While inside a boat, Jesus tells His disciples that they will all go across to the other side of the lake. Once on the water, Jesus falls into a deep sleep and is not awakened by a storm that swamps the boat. The experienced crew believers they are sure to drown! In desperation, they cry out to Jesus. With only a few words, Jesus calms the storm…then questions their faith. After all, hadn’t He said they were going across to the other side? Didn’t He imply that they would indeed make it to the other side?
Jesus proves Himself our personal anchor when the storms of life are so perilous that the thought of death seems imminent and the memory of His promises seems to fade.
Luke 8:22-25 (NASB)
(22) Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. (23) But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. (24) They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. (25) And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”
#5 The Sea Anchor
-Made of sturdy cloth like either a giant sail or a parachute
-Lowered into the water to create a drag and slow the vessel down, especially when the water depth is too great for other anchors to grip hold of the bottom.
Jesus is our anchor. Like the sea anchor, Jesus stabilizes us when we feel like a ship flailing in the water…tossed from side to side because of a compulsive addiction or besetting sin. In the depth of our souls, He slows us down, helping us to see how our continual wrong choices will wreck our relationships and shatter our dreams. Jesus anchors us when the powerful waves of personal disappointment leave us in despair–a hopeless state in which the only recourse seems to be death…anything to end the pain. Even in most turbulent times, Jesus is there–He is our Anchor…in the deep.
Biblical example: Facing possible death, the prisoner Paul is being transported by ship to Rome to stand trial. In the midst of this trip, they face hurricane strength winds. The crew loses control of the ship, and the ship heads for the shore. They attempt to diminish the speed and save the ship. They let down the sea anchor. This is their only hope when it came to saving the ship. Crashing into sandbars would bring certain death.
Jesus proves Himself our personal anchor. When life is uncertain and all hope seems lost, Jesus is there every time.
“A wind of hurricane force, called the ‘northeaster,” swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along…When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along… When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” Acts 27:14-15, 17, 20.
When Jesus is your anchor, He can hold you secure in any storm because He has power
Living in the Light of Jesus' Words 