WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD? Daily Devotionals For Naval Personnel By Chaplain Alan Asplin RANR THE NAVAL PRAYER O Eternal Lord God, who alone spread out the heavens and rule the raging of the sea, who have compassed the water with bounds until day and night come to an end: be pleased to receive in to your almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us your servants, and the fleet in which we serve. Preserve us from the dangers of the sea, and from the violence of the enemy; that we may be a safeguard unto our Sovereign ………………, and his/her dominions, and a security for such as pass upon the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our land may in peace and quietness serve you our God, and that we may return in safety to enjoy the blessings of the land, with the fruit of our labours, and with a thankful remembrance of your mercies to praise and glorify your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. THE NAVAL HYMN Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm has bound the restless wave, who bidst the mighty ocean deep, its own appointed limits keep: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. O Christ, whose voice the waters heard and hushed their raging at thy word, who walkedst on the foaming deep, and calm amid the storm didst keep: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. O Holy Spirit, who didst brood upon the waters dark and rude, and bid their angry tumult cease, and give for wild confusion, peace: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. O Trinity of love and power, our brethren shield in danger’s hour from rock and tempest, fire and foe, guard them wherever they may go: thus evermore shall rise to thee glad hymns of praise from land and sea. THE SAILORS PSALM (PSALM 107.23-32,43) Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For He commanded, and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men, and were at their wit’s end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet; and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for his wonderful works to the sons of men. Whoever is wise, let him give heed to these things; let men consider the steadfast love of the Lord. THE LORD’S PRAYER Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not in to temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.] INTRODUCTION Maintaining your spiritual life in the military environment is not easy. It’s difficult enough in the Australian cultural environment today. In a ‘post-modern,’ ‘post-Christian,’ supposedly ‘tolerant’ multi-cultural society, Christianity is the least tolerated of religions. Couple this difficulty with the demands of a highly operational, high-tech, minimum manned Navy, and the demands this places upon us, and it’s no wonder that we can find it very difficult to give God a second thought throughout the day. Hence this book. Hopefully it will help you and encourage you to spend a few minutes each day with God; preferably before the working day gets started. The title of the book is inspired by a grand old hymn of the same name that is full of nautical imagery. It speaks of the worthwhile struggle to keep faith in God amidst all the difficulties of this life. The writer of the hymn got his inspiration from Hebrews 6.19 – ‘We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.’ The writer of Hebrews was speaking about the certainty of God’s promises to those who put the trust in Him. For each day of the year you will find a quotation and a Bible verse (or two), with a short commentary on them and then a prayer for the day. Also included you will find the Naval Prayer, the Naval Hymn, the Sailors’ Psalm and the Lord’s Prayer. My hope and prayer is that this resource will assist you in maintaining your spiritual life and witness as you serve in the defence of our nation in the Royal Australian navy. May the God of peace and love be with you each and every day. Yours in Christ, Alan. “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, When the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?” DEDICATED TO Principal Chaplain Michael Holz who inspired this work and My wife Eti Who represents all those special people - the families of defence personnel ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Pictures supplied by the Naval Air Station Photographic Section Devotional Book printed by Defence Publishing TA-AVN, HMAS ALBATROSS 1 January - New Year’s Day THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “In order to realise the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm.” (Corrie ten Boom) FROM THE BIBLE “We have this hope (of salvation) as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6.19) TO THINK ABOUT The hymn, ‘Will your anchor hold…,’ is a favourite of mine because of its nautical theme and language and also because of its emphasis upon the saving work of Jesus Christ. I can also imagine it being played by Naval bands as a rousing marching tune. The chorus reminds us that the anchor for our soul is faith in Jesus Christ. As we begin another year it is good to remind ourselves of the worth of that anchor if we are to weather the different kinds of storms we will face throughout the coming weeks and months. May we always be conscious of the presence of God each day and reliant upon his power to help us live as we ought to his praise and glory. PRAYER FOR THE DAY Thankyou, Heavenly Father, for all the blessings I received last year. As another year begins help me not rest on my oars because of past achievements. In this New Year, continually inspire me to aim still higher, to do even better, without becoming conceited or complacent. Help me to focus, not on what I have done but on what I might yet do. To save me from foolish pride keep me mindful of the many times I’ve failed. As we begin, refreshed in body, mind and spirit, keep me always conscious of your presence. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 2 January THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “England expects every man to do his duty.” (Lord Horatio Nelson) FROM THE BIBLE “So you also, when you have done everything, you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.” (Luke 17.10) TO THINK ABOUT Nelson sent this famous signal to his fleet as the Battle of Trafalgar was about to begin. It speaks to us today about the deal we sign up for when we join the Navy. Sadly there are those few sailors who believe they have a right to pick and choose where they will serve or if they will deploy or not. Jesus spoke also about the same issue when it came to following him. We should not expect or demand commendation for doing only what is required of us if we sign up to follow him; even more so than signing up to serve our country. PRAYER FOR THE DAY Almighty Father, so live in me that I may go forward with the light of hope in my eyes, the fire of inspiration on my lips, and your love in my heart. Keep from me any restlessness and anxiety of spirit. May your peace and power uphold me and keep me faithful. Grant me the resolve to seek your glory and the good of others. Watch over our soldiers, sailors and airmen; keeping them from all danger, wherever they may be. Comfort their loved ones separated from them by operational requirements. Lead us all into a deeper fellowship with you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 3 January THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.” (Anon) FROM THE BIBLE “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4.8) TO THINK ABOUT Passing the annual fitness test is an important part of our being ready for sea. Indeed, physical fitness is an essential thing if we are to cope well with the demands of the sea going environment. Some people even go to great lengths and become ‘gym-junkies’ and spend a great deal of time and money on equipment and clothing, etc.