Hope, the anchor of the soul

Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Man cannot live without hope.  Scripture says that hope deferred makes the heart sick.  This means that the longer one's hope is delayed or becomes unsure the sicker the soul.  The writer of Hebrews understands this need for hope.  He talks about it as something which comes from believing a promise - a promise made by God, a promise based in the trueness of God's word.  He tells us that God is a person who cannot break His word; who will not break His word.  He proves that on the cross and then again when Jesus enters the presence of His Father in the Holy of Holies in Heaven.  Jesus earned the right to be with God whenever, as well as to allow us the same priviledge if we would but believe in the effectiveness of the Lord's sacrifice.  God promised Adam a redeemer, and then He promised the human race again and again and again that same redeemer.  Then God went one step further and took an oath, founded on His own integrity and holiness, that the promise He made could be counted on by anyone regardless of who they were or what they were going through, if they would only believe in Him.  Hebrews 6 calls this believing type of hope the anchor of our souls.  Everything else in life is transient and broken to some degree.  Everything ends and everything disappoints.  Even the good comes to an end.  But our hope, being founded in Him, guarantees us that in the worst of storms our soul - our heart, our mind, who we are - is safe in His control.  We can count on Him.  Not only does He take care of us here, but He promises to take care of us for all eternity.  The Bible puts it this way - no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has ever imagined what awaits those who put their trust in the Lord.  Jesus is a High Priest after the order, or authority, of Melchizedek.  Melchizedek was the first king of Salem, or Jerusalem, which means peace.  Jesus came to create a vehicle by which there could be peace between God and man.  We all know we need peace, and that peace comes from being assured of our future.  Jesus understands how we feel and what we go through.  Instead of rejecting us or threatening us with abandonment, He extends His hand palms up, I believe, as a sign of peace.  This peace is where we place our hope.  This peace creates the chain that holds the anchor of hope to help us ride out the storms of life and face futures uncertain by our understanding, but completely certain to God.