A Thunderstorm at Sea
Have you ever witnessed a thunderstorm over the ocean? We enjoy spending time at the beach. And when we go for any extended period of time, we stay in an oceanfront hotel. When at the beach we hope for sunny days to relax in the sun, sand, and surf. But also, there is something fascinating about seeing lightning out over the water as the wind blows across the ocean and the ominous clouds pelt the sand and sea with rain, especially those storms that occur at night.
Experiencing a thunderstorm from the safety of a hotel balcony is one thing, but to be out in the water during that storm, not the place you want to be. It would be very dangerous, maybe even life threatening. The waves would be rough, the winds fierce, the skies dark, the rain heavy, the saltwater stinking your eyes.
Maybe right now you find yourself in the midst of a storm. It could be you are facing a serious health issue. Your finances are a disaster. Your marriage is on the rocks. You have aging parents that need constant looking after. The constant rhetoric surrounding the upcoming presidential election. All things that as you look out over them, cause the seas to look stormy. You are fearful that the storm is (or could be) too big for you to handle alone. You feel as if the water is rising quickly and it will soon be over your head. The good news is that you are not alone!
Amidst that storm I want to offer a bit of hope. Scripture tells us that regardless of whether the storm you are facing was forecasted or it came as a total surprise, one thing remains – Jesus is with you and is your anchor in the storm. Jesus calls us to have faith in Him, to put our complete trust in Him. He is able to keep you steadfast despite the turbulence of the storm, He is your mooring in the changing tides of life.
Hebrews 6:19-20 declares this promise – “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
Those verses say two things. First, like an anchor holds a ship from drifting away, our hope found in Jesus keeps us safe. He is a steadying anchor in the whole of life.
And second, the inner sanctuary language takes us back to the tabernacle in the Old Testament, where a curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place; that very place where God resided. But the people were not allowed to enter it. Only the high priest was allowed to enter once a year (On Yom Yippur, the Day of Atonement) on behalf of the people. On that day, he burned incense and sprinkled sacrificial animal blood to atone for (theological word is expiate) for his own sins and those of the people of Israel. When Jesus died on the cross that curtain was torn in two (see Matthew 27:50-51) giving us personal access to God, no longer needing someone to enter on our behalf.
So, today if you have not yet put your trust in Jesus, pray and ask Him into your heart and accept all that He has for you. If you are already a follower of Jesus but find it hard to calm your inner soul, then right now pray and ask Jesus for a peace that passes all understanding, a peace that is stronger than the storm, a peace anchored in Him.
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