ANCHORS AWAY
Acts 27:29 – 31 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
Against all odds and contrary to common sense a ship is lost and the people saved. It seems a little thing to many landlubbers for a crew of sailors to cast anchors to the fore and aft of a ship. All common thought would suggest this as the best course of action. In a wind swept sea, tossed to and fro, with no stability or solidity, any thread of hope in security would be centered on the hope of a good anchor. Yet, any person with even a little knowledge of seafaring knows it is sure suicide to drop anchor at both ends of a ship. A secure ship is one which is able to move with the swell and dip of the wave. It must be able to sway to and fro with the changing of the winds and smashing of the waves. There is the madness of sure security. A ship must be anchored and yet be free to move. Security is not always a serene and immovable position.
Why not throw an anchor at both ends of the ship? Why not cast our life’s anchors on the solidity of Christ in one area of our life and on the world in other areas? In Paul’s predicament it was imperative that the whole body of people in the ship stay together and in one accord. The crew had no intention of anchoring the ship at the fore. They simply used this as a ruse to make their own escape. It seemed perfectly good and sound reasoning to the soldiers for the ship to be anchored at both ends. Yet, this would have led to the foundering of the ship and certain death. A ship anchored at both ends cannot move and will be rolled from side to side by wind and wave. It would also be unable to follow the rise and fall of the waves and soon be swamped and full of water. In life’s seas we must trust in only one anchor in our lives to weather the storms of life. If we go about casting anchors in every direction we will soon be overcome and undone.
All the anchoring events happened at night. We are not only tossed by life’s seas but much of life’s waiting obstacles and harbors are hidden in darkness. God is not blinded by the darkness of our world. We can be sure to survive by trusting in one anchor for our lives and give God control.
We, like these people, were at odds. The crew of the ship could see no way to save the soldiers and themselves. They had no plan of hope for everyone, but they had a plan for a few. A few with knowledge knew they could survive. Rather than extend the knowledge or apply their wisdom in seafaring they chose to leave behind many to their death. How many of us make the same mistake in life. We have the good news to be given to the world and find a way to survive and leave others without hope and help. I’m sure many soldiers were clamoring for help while others blamed the sailors for causing such a calamity. Who do we save? Do we save ourselves, the ones crying for help, or the ones blaming us for their discomfort? We have been given the knowledge and the help of the Holy Ghost and we must learn how to apply these skills to the task at hand. How do we save the world? How did the sailors save the people? They saved everyone by losing the ship. The sailors gave up everything that made them who they were. They gave up their most prized possession. They gave up their vessel and saved a whole ship of souls. Many who call themselves Christian haven’t learned this one inarguable lesson. We must be of a mind that there is no greater calling, pursuit, or endeavor than the saving of souls. Jesus was in the business of saving souls. Jesus was about the Father’s business and God’s business is souls. God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are about saving souls. Shouldn’t we be in the same business?
Many of us are more concerned with saving the ship than saving those on board. Better yet, we are more concerned about our own skin than taking time for others. It’s time we tossed a few anchors away. Some of us trust in a 401K. Lately this trust seems misplaced. Toss away that anchor friend; put your trust in Christ. Some of us trust in others. Should the sailors have trusted the soldiers to come up with a plan? Toss away the anchors of “good” advice. Trust in the Word of God. There are many anchors we can toss away. Once we toss away all the other anchors in our life and trust in the anchor of Christ we can find security. With security in Christ we can learn to give up the greatest of possessions; our own vessel of flesh. Will it be necessary to lose the flesh in order to do God’s will for our life? It would seem so.
Anchors away, Christian, anchors away!
