Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 6:19

Steve Gambill on the importance of dropping our anchors deep into Jesus.

Steve Gambill

Have you ever been on a YOLO board? It's kind of a stand-up paddleboard that looks more like a large surfboard. Recently I decided to take my kids and their friends out to try it.

We chose a calm lake on a sunny day and launched out into the deep water. As soon as we left the shore, rain clouds rolled in, the wind picked up and the current took our boards towards the reeds and the rocks. No matter how hard we paddled, we could not shift against that current.

Then I saw my 12-year-old son get down on his knees and paddle furiously. His lower centre of gravity gave him extra power. Within seconds each of us copied his technique and it wasn't long before we inched our way through the pouring rain back into deeper water.

Just as my son Noah did on the YOLO board that day, it's time to get on our knees in childlike faith and pray as if our life depends on it, because it does. Your family, church and neighbourhoods are depending on you.

Hebrews 2:1 says, "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away."

The writer to the Hebrews chooses an interesting word, DRIFT. As leaders, we are called to bring influence to the emerging generation, not be under the influence of the current trends and tides of popular opinion.

We live in a windy world full of opinion and adversity. The storms, tides and currents in our lives are causing drift in every area of society.

Author & Pastor Rick Warren wrote about this drift, "Wealth is idealised, truth is minimised, life is trivialised, abortion legalised, television vulgarised, advertising is sensualised, everything is sexualised and commercialised, our consciences are desensitised, education is secularised, free markets are monopolised, racism is polarised, politics and sports are scandalised, Morals and ethics liberalised, entertainment and crime sensationalised, immorality popularised, drugs are legitimised, break up of family rationalised, sin is glamourized, courts are paralysed, manners are uncivilised. Christians are demonised, and God is marginalised."

So how do fix this drift? Simple, we drop anchor. Hebrews 6:19 says, "We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm & secure."

Is Jesus your anchor?

Leading in the windy world of doubts, opinions, or ethical and philosophical challenges, we are living in times that require a 'get on our knees before God' approach to be able to move forward.

1. The unanchored soul will drift.
2. Hope is the anchor for the soul. Drop anchor into the goodness of God.
3. You can choose hope in every challenge and circumstance of life.
4. Even when you can't see God, He is still there.
5. Never forget how good God is.
6. Sometimes life is hard, but it doesn't change the fact that God is good.
7. The anchor you drop will be someone else's lifeline.

Going back to the story of the YOLO boards, just as quickly as the rain cloud rolled in, it rolled out. In just 10 minutes the sun emerged from the clouds and burned hot for the rest of the day. It was only then, we realised that the same storm that drenched our clothes, became the source that kept us cool throughout the day.

Could it be that the storms you are encountering will only serve to make you stronger in the long run? Could it be that the leadership challenges you face will serve to increase your capacity? I pray it will.

Drop anchor today deep into Jesus.