THE ANCHOR



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 whilst the billows roll
Fastened to the rock which cannot move
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's Love
 - MHB 634

An ANCHOR is a heavy metallic object that is lowered from ships or boats to connect the vessel to the BED of the water to PREVENT THE VESSEL FROM DRIFTING DUE TO WIND OR CURRENT. The role of the anchor is so well defined here. In light of the metaphors, the anchor represents a person or a thing capable of holding us down or firm in the face of life's difficulties. For most of us (and at least for me) our anchor is our Dad. He pays our fees and gives us money too so we are very trusting of and dependent on him. For some others our anchor is our friends, riches etc. All these anchors are good but are they able to prevent us from drifting off course in the face of life's adversities?

Again, the song describes the storms of life and its effects. First, we are told that in the storms of life the clouds unfold their wings of strife. Usually clouds are described as unfolding to portray the intensity of rain. Thus the song asks us if our various anchors are enough protection when life's adversities are gargantuan and unprecedented. Also we are told that when the clouds unfold, the strong tides lift (pushing water volumes up and threatening to drown any floating object), compounding our already bad situation and the cables strain (everything associated to you is threatened) making stuff even worse. In this situation, will your anchor (be it daddy, riches or friends) give up on you (drift) or will it suffice to keep you from going off your life's course or purpose?

The song’s chorus reminds us all that we have an anchor that keeps our soul steadfast and sure whilst the billows roll. This anchor keeps us rooted or grounded when we are in the eye of the storm. And this happens for two reasons; that the anchor is FASTENED to an unmovable rock, and that this same anchor is GROUNDED FIRM AND DEEP in the love of our Saviour.

The anchor is the HOLY SPIRIT who indwells every Christian and who will dwell in anybody desirous of receiving Christ. For us then the Holy Spirit serves as that calming influence in our lives in the midst of the storms of life and we cannot rely on anybody or anything else as  our anchor.


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