If you’ve ever stood on a beach, it’s mesmerizing to stand there and watch the surf of ocean water coming in and going back out, coming in and going back out, coming in and going back out. That’s all it does all day it seems, never getting anywhere, just coming in and then going back out. But, that’s the ocean water – it’s supposed to do that.
However, a LOT of Christians do the same thing with their lives and they wonder why they never get anywhere, why they never grow closer to Jesus Christ, why they never seem to get any deeper in their understanding of the Bible, why they seldom see their prayers answered, etc., The reason is, they are just like the surf of the ocean. One day they get all fired up about serving God and getting to know Him, but then something in the world catches their attention, worldly friends invite them out to a place they shouldn’t be, people in the office start talking about stuff they shouldn’t talk about, they get distracted with their personal goals in life, etc., and before long they are far away from shore.
After a while, they feel miserable being so far away from God, and they decide it’s time to get their life in shape, start following God, etc., so they head back in the right direction for a while, only until they are again caught up in the snares and things of this world and this life, which drag them back far away from God. And this scenario continues on and on for years and years for some people, who NEVER seem to get anywhere in their life, and they seem puzzled by it, they don’t understand what the problem is. The problem is, they just allow themselves to be pulled in any direction – no matter what it is, if it seems fun and entertaining at the moment – it’s only “life” they say. Well, yes – it’s only a life of misery, disappointment, and discouragement.
In order to TRULY live this Christian life, we must draw close to Jesus Christ and ANCHOR ourselves there! We must stay as close to Him as we possibly can. That means we have to say “no” to some things, things that will drift us away from where we want to be. We have to give up some things, things that would pull us away from knowing Jesus Christ every day. We must keep our anchor SOLIDLY anchored in HIM ALONE!
In 1882, Priscilla Owens wrote these words:
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
Keep your heart and mind FIXED like an ANCHOR on JESUS CHRIST! Don’t be distracted by this world!!