We Need Anchors
When I was moving to Austin, I had two choices of areas where I’d like to live. One, was in a quiet area of town, several minutes away from traffic and shopping. OR the more active, bustling area of town – walking distance from anchor stores like Target, Home Goods, Wal-Mart AND, five minutes from HEB and Lakeline Shopping Mall with Macy’s, Dillard’s, and lots of other well-known stores. I’m sure you know me well enough to know I chose being smack dab in the middle of all those stores. How sweet it is!!
An anchor store is one that commercial real estate agents work diligently to acquire in an area to bring in high traffic. An anchor store like Target or Sam’s Club or Lowe’s are the principal tenants of a mall or a shopping center.
I needed to be close to some of those stores because I can’t begin to know the number of times I’ve made a quick trip to one of those stores to quickly buy a last-minute gift or that one missing ingredient I needed to complete a recipe. Or, for that last-minute item I needed before I headed out on a trip or to fill up my car with gas before I headed out. How wonderful to be living this close to services, stores, restaurants, and medical facilities.
I’m quite self-contained when it comes to being able to take care of my daily needs and handle everyday surprises that come up. Ugh! Like yesterday when I saw the (!) on my dash board. I’ll be having to take my car in for repair. When I can’t do for what needs to be done, I take it to the place that can do it for me. I am ever grateful I live in such close proximity to all those stores and services that pretty well carry everything I need to take care of my necessities.
But more important than those anchor stores, is the ANCHOR that I have when I come to the end of my rope. It’s even closer than all those stores. I was chatting with three gals yesterday. One of them who is a powerful, strong, and faith-filled, mighty woman of God had her head on her hand as she admitted that she finds herself weary and disheartened. Totally not like her, I, jokingly said: “You mean you’re not “Pollyanna” and don’t ¬¬live on the “Good Ship Lollipop”, 24/7? She replied, “I’m not Pollyanna and that ship has sailed.”
Truth is we can be the strongest, most optimistic, unwavering, faith-believing Christians, but it is true what Mama said. She said, “There would be days like this.” And what do we “veteran” Christians do when we’re worn out from the fight, the grind, and the bumps and bruises? Where do we go for a place of comfort from the storms of life or when we need assurance that “everything’s gonna’ be alright”?
We go to our ANCHOR. Not the store — but we go to the ONE Who is the ANCHOR of our souls. God is that HOPE ANCHOR. Hebrews 6:19 says: “We have this HOPE as an ANCHOR for the soul, firm and secure.” Go ahead and throw in the towel. It’s okay! When we’ve done all we can to stand, we keep standing and holding on to our Almighty Anchor. That anchor is not on shifting sand. It is (He is) secure and never fails.
Another old song explains it perfectly. “In times like these, we need a Savior. In times like these, we need an anchor. Be very sure. Be very sure. Your anchor holds and clefts the solid rock. This rock is Jesus. Yes, He’s the One. This rock is Jesus, the only One.