Anchor for the Soul
Build an altar to the Lord today so that you will have an anchor to strengthen your soul when you face the storms of life tomorrow.
“Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you. Now that the Lord your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul...When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan....the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us—that the Lord is God.”
Joshua 22:1-6, 8, 21-27, 29-34
It must have been hard for the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh to leave behind their families and serve. These were the people who were given the land before the crossing of the Jordan, but still had a duty to see that all people received the inheritance of the promised land. Think of how good it must have felt for them to know they were finally going home to settle their inheritance. They must have been excited to get home and see their families.
Can you think of how you feel the desire to rush home after a long time away? Think of times when you are on a vacation or have left to fulfill a responsibility. Are you not eager to get home and sleep in your own bed? The desire to hurry up and get home can influence how we appreciate the present moment. It can keep us from taking the time to give thanks to God. Jesus told a story of ten lepers who were healed, but only one took the time to come back and give thanks. Are you in a hurry today? Are you building margin to make sure you praise God?
The people did the right thing. They did not rush. Instead, they reinforced how much they trusted God by taking time to build an imposing altar by the Jordan so that all people would remember to trust God. The altar was something that they could anchor their life to and support them when they needed it. They took the time to give thanks and remembered how God had protected them through all the battles before they were allowed to return home. Where and how could you build an altar? What could you do externally to reassure yourself internally to stay faithful to God? What could help you remember to give thanks and praise God?
“Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me. You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me...I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.”
Psalms 59:1, 4, 9-12, 16-17
David says two things in one sentence. He says deliver me and by my fortress. Deliverance requires outward action and David says he needs God to do this. He knows in his own strength he cannot overcome the enemy. Where do you need God to fight a battle or deliver an outcome? How could trusting God be an anchor for you from whatever you face?
David says be my fortress and refuge. It is the place where David feels safe and where no one can attack him. We all need safe places. Places of peace. One of the most traumatic things people can experience is not have a place they feel safe. God wants to teach us that wherever you go or whatever circumstances you find yourself, He can be your fortress. Notice how David does not sing of the strength of his enemies or complain about how hard the fight will be. Often we only make things worse when we gossip or complain. Wisdom says guard your heart. David chooses to sing of God's strength and the security he finds in Him.
“My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave...listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.”
Proverbs 5:1-3, 5-8, 11-12, 15, 18, 21-23
The opposite of building an altar and being steadfast in your faith is having an adulterous heart. It is important to recognize that while Solomon is counseling on something related to sexual sin, the meaning of his message goes far beyond the bedroom. Adultery can be anything that comes between your heart and living faithfully to God. Money, pride or promotion, or even security found in possessions can all be things our hearts crave ahead of our Creator. This is why it is so important to circumcise your heart. To daily examine your heart and your heart's desires. Adultery is a path that leads to the grave and all people will be tempted to walk it.
Wisdom says the anchor to a life of wisdom is discipline. Daily practices and patterns that are intentionally aligned with God. There is a difference between walking the walk and talking the talk. Fancy words for this can be orthopraxy and orthodoxy. Orthodoxy refers to correct thinking. Orthopraxy is correct doing. We are called to not be just hearers, but doers of the word. The same root word for disciple is at the heart of discipline. How disciplined are you? Where could you be more disciplined? How could discipline unlock greater divine blessing or intimacy? Wisdom says it is for lack of discipline that people are led astray.
“For I will give the command, and I will shake the people of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground. In that day “I will restore David’s fallen shelter I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins and will rebuild it as it used to be, “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring my people Israel back from exile...They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.”
Amos 9:1, 4-6, 9-11, 13-15
Jesus said in this world you will have trouble. The text says that you will be shaken. You might be feeling shaken in this moment. The very foundations that you stand on or people you lean on could move. What happens then? Where do you find your strength?
God wants you to find your anchor in His promises. His word can never be broken and He has said that He is your God. Look at the promises in this text that are given in the midst of the storm. He says I will restore, rebuild, plant, and not allow people to be uprooted. You are meant to live rooted in Jesus. Have you ever tried to remove a stubborn root? The deeper the root the harder it is to remove. We are meant to be so anchored in Christ that we cannot be uprooted. How could you deepen your roots by abiding more with Jesus today?
“Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,”
Hebrews 6:1-2, 7-8, 10-12, 18-19
Jesus wants to take you deeper and draw you closer. He wants to help you mature in your faith and know that He is the anchor of your soul. How do you deepen your faith? By putting into practice what He teaches. Practice, practice, practice. Practice demonstrates faith and shows our trust. God says He will not forget your work or the love you have shown. Do you think He is talking about your words or works? Paul is saying that it is the life that produces fruit that shows how deeply rooted it is in Jesus. What fruit are you producing that is feeding others? Purpose can be an anchor. The more how you see how you can participate in the kingdom, the more unshaken you will be.
Paul says hope is an anchor. The word for hope here is not the word that the world uses. Hope is more defined as confident expectation, assurance, and trust in a promise. Is that not different than the way the world uses the word? Don't we overuse the word hope and underuse the word expectation? We say I hope my sports team wins or I hope it is sunny this weekend. Is that hope that can anchor your soul? No! Hope is not a thermometer, it is the thermostat. You are meant to set the temperature and the environment around you adjusts.
What are you expecting today? The Israelites expected to always see God work in their lives so they built a huge altar. They expected future generations to see God provide, protect, and be present with their children's children. So they built an altar. What do you expect? The truth it is God's promises that stabilize our souls. It is the promise that are made by the Promise Keeper that anchor us in our expectation that the best is yet to come. What promises do you need to declare over your life today? Wisdom says build an altar, sacrifice your temporary desires for eternal purposes, and declare the truth over your life that Jesus Christ is the anchor of your soul.