Open the Eyes of Our Hearts

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who  believe. – (Ephesians 1:18-19a, NIV)

I pray that God will open your minds to see His truth. Then you will know the hope that He has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised His holy people are rich and glorious. And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. – (Ephesians 1:18-19a, ERV)

Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe. – (Ephesians 1:18-19a, VOICE)

This is a great prayer for all of us, as everyone needs hope to hold onto. God’s hope is that which is an anchor for our souls. The glorious riches of His inheritance include an eternity that goes beyond what our minds can fathom. As we begin to grasp hope in Christ, His power is made evident in and for us as we walk out our days. May we ever seek the Lord to reveal more and more of who He is and how He loves so that we may hold fast to His hope that holds us secure forever.

In Christ, there is hope, 

For all who believe;

Blessed assurance,

To Him we can cleave.

Glorious riches,

In God’s great power;

Peace that is present,

In our Strong Tower.

Let us run to Him,

Ever seek His face;

Faithful, He meets us,

And shows us His grace.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to open the eyes of our hearts to see who You are and how You love when we choose to seek You. Thank You that we have eternal hope in You. Forgive us for losing sight of how temporary the here and now is in comparison to forever with You. Teach us to have an eternal perspective on all that we face, and teach us to trust You to bring good from all things. Lead us in Your unending love, so that we might love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to continue to show us more and more of who You are and how You love, leading us to securely place all of our hope in You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure… – Hebrews 6:19a

You Steady Me

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong and do not fear; Your God will come…” – (Isaiah 35:3-4a, NIV)

Make the weak arms strong again. Strengthen the weak knees. People are afraid and confused. Say to them, “Be strong! Don’t be afraid!” Look, your God will come…” – (Isaiah 35:3-4a, ERV)

Energize the limp hands, strengthen the rubbery knees. Tell fearful souls, “Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here, on His way to put things right and redress all wrongs. He’s on His way! He’ll save you!” – (Isaiah 35:3-4, MSG)

Yesterday, in the practice of simply being still to listen, the words, “I will steady you,” kept echoing in my heart. When the winds blow and the waves rock the boat in treacherous seas, He who can simply speak the words, “Be still,” will steady what’s rocking in me. God is the anchor that holds us secure, and the One who will steady us when our world feels shaken. He is faithful to strengthen us in spaces where strength is gone, and His presence chases away fear. The Lord is the one who comes and makes things right, even when it feels that there is no way. May we ever seek the Lord to steady us and supply the strength that we need, for He is faithful to meet us anew each day.

The Lord is faithful,

The anchor within;

He’s steady and strong,

And He brings calm in.

When storms surround us,

We can rest assured;

He is our anchor,

That keeps us secure.

Secure in His love,

Covered by His grace;

Built up in His strength,

As we seek His face.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You steady us when storms surround us, and You are the anchor that keeps us secure. Forgive us for our fears and frustrations when the storms of life seem to surround us. Teach us to trust in You to be our help and our hope, for You are our Rock in whom we can find shelter and peace, even in the midst of great storms. Show us how to love those around us in ways that share Your steadiness and security, so that peace permeates every place it is lacking. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to steady us through every storm, and to be our strength throughout each new day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure… – Hebrews 6:19a

To Whom Do We Anchor?

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. – (Hebrews 6:19a, NIV)

This hope is like an anchor for us. It is strong and sure and keeps us safe. – (Hebrews 6:19a, ERV)

We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God Himself. – (Hebrews 6:19a, TPT)

To whom do we anchor? When the wind howls and the waters rage, where do we turn? Over the past few years, I have weathered several storms. What I have discovered is that Christ does indeed anchor our soul, as He provides us with strength and safe harbor in the midst of the storms. Right now, the storm is a sick son in the hospital. Due to the nature of his illness, he is not permitted any visitors; not even me. This is, as a momma, one of the most difficult storms to weather. Not being able to be tangibly present to see and hear and advocate for my child is an agonizing space. That being said, God is faithful to provide peace, strength and comfort as each new day begins. He is providing hope anew as I talk and text with my son. Incredibly, the young man my boy has become is strong. His strength of heart and positive take on things is an encouragement to all. Rather than the “why me?” approach, he is recognizing the good that is coming from his experience. Despite the dance of the poking and prodding involved in his treatment, he is prioritizing his college coursework and communicating with family and friends. God knows what each of us need, and anchors our hearts to His to navigate all that comes our way. On my own, I would sink. With Christ, I can rest assured that He has us tethered to His safety and strength. May we ever seek the Lord and trust Him to be the anchor for our souls, for He is strong and secure and the One who provides our hearts with peace.

Hope is an anchor,

That tethers the soul;

Strength in our Savior,

His love makes us whole.

When storms come our way,

The Lord is our peace;

He steadies our hearts,

As grace is released.

Hope is the promise,

Presence that won’t end;

Hands that will hold us,

As each day begins.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the hope that anchors our soul. Thank You that You provide peace and strength and safety in spaces where it seems impossible for such to exist. Forgive us for doubting the security of Your hands to hold us. Teach us to continue to anchor our hope in You. Lead us to love those around us in ways that encourage, strengthen and uplift. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we anchor our hope forever in You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – Psalm 18:32