Life is supposed to be lived with God, but for most of us, the visible and tangible appear more real to us than the invisible, immortal God who gives us life. Ps 119 helps to anchor us in the reality of God in a world full of enemies who taunt us (Ps 119:42) and those who stoutly refuse to believe.
Anchors are hugely important in times of storm and uncertainty, keeping us fixed to truth. One of the great truths of the Christian faith, and a key message of Christmas, is that we have hope – hope we’ve grabbed hold of with both hands, ‘an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.’ (Heb 6:19-20, The Message) This hope is rooted in God’s unfailing love for us which brings us salvation (Ps 119:41) and which leads us into freedom (Ps 119:45).
Our response to hope is delight (Ps 119:47). Those who have put their hope in God’s ways (Ps 119:43) have boldness to speak of this freely (Ps 119:46) and love to meditate on His decrees (Ps 119:46).
Advent is the time when we remember that light has come to our world in the person of Jesus Christ: ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.’ (Is 9:2) Hope, in our terror-stricken world of fear and uncertainty, poverty and misery, is sorely and desperately needed. Let’s hold on to hope as the anchor for our soul.