The Cher-El-Sue is the name of the family boat on which I spent much of my childhood summers.

Refurbished by my father, the 29-foot long wooden cabin cruiser was named after his “girls”—me (Cheryl), my mother (Ellen), and my sister (Susan). 

We enjoyed frequent trips across Long Island Sound from our home in Mamaroneck, in the suburbs of New York City, to Port Jefferson on the north shore of Long Island. 

Often we slept overnight on the boat. I recall one particular night when I was five or six years old that we encountered a severe thunderstorm while out on the open water. As the winds howled and the heavy rain beat down, the boat began to rock wildly from the surging waves. My sister and I were crying. My dad hollered for us all to stay below in the cabin and take cover. 

Meanwhile, he hurriedly untied the boat’s anchor and threw it overboard. As the thunder roared overhead he came into the cabin and calmed our fears saying “The anchor will secure the boat until the storm passes.”

And it did. 

The anchor performed its job, stabilizing the boat. We stayed safe during the storm. 

In the context of the Christian hope, Hebrews 6:19 gives some beautiful imagery of our hope in Christ as an anchor: 

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 

Our ultimate hope rests in the promised return of Christ—to a better day coming when the Lord will return to gather His believers and establish His Kingdom on the earth. Often referred to as The Hope, this future salvation and life eternal includes a new heaven and a new earth where there will be no more sorrow, tears, or death. 

How can we not take joy and find peace today, when we have such a magnificent hope as this? In light of eternity, today’s challenges grow small. Christ is, our only source of true Hope. 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) 

Our hope in Christ gives us stability throughout life. It provides us with strength to stay connected to the Master during difficult times when we could be blown about and lose our way. 

By trustfully remaining in His presence we experience joy and peace no matter the circumstance. 

How wonderful is our hope—the anchor of our souls.

Copyright © 2014 Cheryl Elton  

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