by Mitchell Skelton

At the time of his death, this man's work appeared in 2,600 newspapers worldwide, and was the basis of a franchise earning $1 billion a year. Since its modest debut in just seven papers on October 2, 1950, his comic strip became a constant feature of daily life for nearly fifty years.

Ironically, this man's work should have never been noticed. He learned his trade through a correspondence school and earned a C in "the drawing of children." The tall, skinny outsider at St. Paul High School was a lousy student whose only hope was that his gangly cartoons would be accepted for print in his 1940 senior yearbook. The annuals went to press without the drawings. Though discouraged, the fledgling artist was undaunted in the pursuit of his dream.

Through determination and perseverance, Charles Schultz fulfilled his childhood goal, and Peanuts became the most widely syndicated cartoon in the world./1

While we identify success in one's chosen vocation with achieving a specific goal, success in the Christian life is not that easy to distinguish. The Christian life is not all about our effort. While we must make an effort, it is not by our effort that we realize success. However, we can be assured of a successful Christian life without yet fully realizing the success. The promise to all who do "the will of the Father" is the reward of heaven (Matt. 7:21).

Regarding this promise the Hebrew writer says,

"Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf" (Heb. 6:17–20).

Our salvation is secure because of two unchangeable things we can rely upon.

1. God made a promise. "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (Num. 23:19).

2. God swore an oath. God made a promise to Abraham that through him would come a blessing to all mankind (Gen. 22). God made this promise in the form of an oath to emphasize its unchanging character. By swearing an oath, God was showing man just how much he wanted us to trust him and the promise he made to us.

Our salvation is secure because Jesus is in heaven. Jesus being the hope of our salvation is described as "an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

A naval officer from World War II explains the idea of Jesus as the anchor for the soul as he described how the battleship he was assigned to survived a hurricane in Chesapeake Bay. It was a similar method used by sailors in the 18th and 19th centuries to move their ships through tight and dangerous spots. When storms or turbulent seas threatened a ship, a crew of sailors would set out in a launch carrying with them the larger ship's anchor. Going as far toward safety as the anchor's chain would allow they would then cast the anchor down in the sea. They would then winch the larger ship forward into deeper water./2

Jesus is an anchor for the soul in this manner. Not that he is holding us secure in one spot, but that He is firm and secure and guiding us where we need to be. Jesus entered heaven before us on our behalf. In doing this he made access available for us (Eph. 2:14–18). By entering heaven on our behalf, Jesus is able to save completely those who come to God through Him (Heb. 7:24–25).

Life and success can become confusing and frustrating. The Christian need not be left to wonder about his eternal destiny. The Christian need not be frustrated when confronted with the question, "Do you know if you are going to heaven?"

We have an Anchor who is firm and secure in heaven, and he is guiding us to the finish line. Let him accomplish what he set out to accomplish!

1 (Adapted from Houston Chronicle, Dec. 1, 1999, p. 4D) 2 (Adapted from Leonard Sweet, taken from Damian Phillips @ SermonCentral.com)