A Hope That Is Sure
By: Emily Rose Massey
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” – Hebrews 6:19, NASB.
I sat there on the bathroom floor, browsing social media on my phone next to the bathtub as my boys splashed around in the bubbles, playing with their tub toys- just a typical day in the life of this stay-at-home mom. Suddenly, my heart sank as I scrolled Facebook and caught the headline: CDC Confirms first St. Louis Case of Coronavirus. COVID-19 had made its way to our home state of Missouri and suddenly, the anxiety many people around the world had been experiencing for months became very real to me.
As the virus spread across the nation, so did much uncertainty and panic. Most churches closed their doors. Many businesses shut down and employees lost their jobs in the process. Empty grocery store shelves, massive job loss, social isolation, endangered health, and sadly, even death have been a reality for so many people during this time. Suddenly, the comforts of abundance and security have been stripped from our society and many are looking for hope right now.
Some believe that hope can be found in vaccines for all of this to go away. Although modern medicine is a blessing, this pandemic is revealing that people are trying to find hope in the wrong source. This is one of the greatest opportunities as Christians to shine the light of real hope to a fearful and hurting world- the hope of Christ!
Hebrews 6 tell us of this hope:
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:19, NASB.
Jesus Christ has made a way for us to be able to enter into fellowship with a holy God. He lived the perfect life we could not live by fulfilling the law and laid down His own life as a sacrifice for us. Because of this, we are able to have hope no matter what we face in this life. And if that wasn’t good news enough, as our high priest, Jesus is also forever making intercession for us daily (Hebrews 7:25)!
As Christians, we must constantly remind ourselves of this blessed hope when anxiety comes in like a tidal wave and tries to overwhelm our hearts. We must fight the temptation to find our hope in anything else but Christ. Our hope should not be in a vaccine, medication, a booming economy, job security, a full pantry, positive statistics, or the government’s financial support. Our hope should be built on Christ, our Solid Rock, the anchor of our soul, the only security we have in this life because that security is eternal.
Our health and finances may be taken from us. No matter what happens, life in Him can never be taken away from us. For when this is all over, He is the only One who can save us from the curse of sin and death.
In Him, we are forgiven and justified before a Holy God. In Him, we stand faultless before the throne of judgment that awaits us all one day. The hope of eternity in His presence should be the anchor in the storms of life. The only real hope we can stand upon is eternal life found in Jesus Christ.
Have you been tempted to allow anxiety and panic to sweep you away during this difficult time? Are you feeling hopeless because of your current circumstances and looking for relief in the possible solutions presented to us? Take your worries to the Lord today and ask Him to help your unbelief. Are you spending more time looking at statistics and the news right now? Instead of reading the newest headlines every day, open up your Bible and fill your heart with hope, not fear. The temptation during times like this is to focus on all the trials around you, especially if you are experiencing uncertainty, lack, or discouragement. Resist that temptation and use it as an opportunity to offer your gratefulness to God: every day, find three things to be thankful for. Lastly, take some time to listen to the hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” and remind your soul of the hope found in Jesus Christ.
