An Anchored Soul

 

In Priscilla Jane Owens’ 1882 hymn, she asks,

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?

This world is in turmoil, and it is seeping into our personal spaces – there is chaos everywhere you turn.

But, despite all that is churning up around you, imagine waking up each morning with a confident hope, not because your situation has changed but because your soul is anchored in something that’s deeper than your troubles.

Theological platitudes can only give relief to a downcast soul for a short time, all they do is act as a placebo – a temporary fix and not a long-term solution.

God’s incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, is an unwavering anchor for your soul. He is the Rock which cannot move, it is in Him that your soul must be firmly and deeply anchored.

Troubles come to all of us, but an anchored soul in Jesus will buffet life’s fiercest storms.

A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides and into the boat, and it was almost full of water…Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm. – Mark 4:37 & 39 (ERV)

Your boat may be almost full of water but do not panic, know that the same Jesus who stilled the wind and calmed the waves is with you today. Jesus is the only anchor that can keep your soul steady in the most turbulent times; in Him is your peace, your strength and your hope.

God’s Word tells us to,

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. – Romans 12:12 (NLT)

I know all too well just how difficult it is to rejoice and be patient during the storms of life, but you must determine to do so because these are the seasons when your most holy faith is built up.

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! – Jude 1:20-21 (MSG)

Beloved, an anchored soul in Jesus Christ is the real life. He is the Living Word on whom you can depend and in whom you can place your confident hope (ref. Psalm 42). And as you anchor your soul in Him, hold securely to the following promise of God,

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. – Isaiah 43:2 (ESV)

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13 (ERV)

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “An Anchored Soul” ©2026 June 21, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Let us Pray: Psalm 85

 

"Morning has Broken" by Shelley Johnson

O Lord, thank You for the favour You continuously show to me; for bringing me success in everything I do.

Thank You for forgiving me and for covering all my sins by the Blood of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

Because of Your Son, You set aside all Your wrath and turned from Your fierce anger.

Thank You for restoring me again O Lord my Saviour.

Thank You for reviving me again; I rejoice in You.

Thank You for showing me Your unfailing love, O Lord and granting me Your salvation.

Thank You for giving me new life.

Thank You for Your glory which dwells within my home and for Your steadfast love and faithfulness that meet together there.

Thank You for Your mercy, goodness and peace that greet me with a kiss every morning.

Thank You for Your faithfulness that springs up from the ground and Your righteousness that looks down from heaven.

Thank You Lord for indeed You always give me what is good – You make me prosper and I yield an abundant harvest.

Thank You for pouring down Your blessings on me.

Thank You that righteousness goes as a herald before You and sets me in the way of Your steps.

I make this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Let us Pray: Psalm 85” ©2026 June 21, 2026

 

Let us pray: Psalm 84

 

photo courtesy Chionsu Barclay

O Lord Almighty, my King and my God, You are the living God, You are the All-powerful Lord, You are the Omnipresent God and everywhere You are, is beautiful.

Thank You for the great blessings of abiding in Your house.

Thank You that I’m able to praise You.

I am greatly blessed because I depend on You for strength.

You have set my heart on a spiritual journey;

And as I pass through the valleys of life, You are there, making it a place of springs;

You also send the autumn rains to cover it with pools of blessings.

I go from strength to strength, till I appear before my God in Zion.

Thank You, Lord God All-powerful, for hearing my prayer and for listening to me.

Thank You for watching over me with favour.

I declare that one day is better in Your house than a thousand days anywhere else;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the homes of the wicked.

Thank You, my Lord God, for being my Sun and Shield, my Protector, my glorious King;

Thank You for blessing me with favour and honour;

Thank You for freely giving me every good thing, as I have been made right with You by the loving sacrifice of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ,

O Lord Almighty, thank You that as my trust in You increases, so do Your blessings increase in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Let us pray: Psalm 84” ©2026 June 20, 2026

 

Accepting Injustice

 

Injustice seems to be the order of the day these days and too many persons, including people who claim to be Christians, simply turn a blind eye.

The world’s leaders are leading the charge as they are the primary perpetrators of the injustice we see being meted out to citizens and we do nothing. In our silence and failure to condemn such actions, we have become abettors.

Why are we, children of a just God, accepting injustice?

This is nothing new, centuries ago, the prophet Amos delivered a message to those who were perpetrating and accepting injustice. Pay attention to his words.

You people hate anyone who challenges injustice and speaks the whole truth in court. You have oppressed the poor and robbed them of their grain. And so you will not live in the fine stone houses you build or drink wine from the beautiful vineyards you plant. I know how terrible your sins are and how many crimes you have committed. You persecute good people, take bribes, and prevent the poor from getting justice in the courts. And so, keeping quiet in such evil times is the smart thing to do! – Amos 5:10-13 (GNT)

Yes, we keep quiet because we think it’s the smart thing to do. We think it’s the smart thing to do when our jobs are at stake. We think it’s the smart thing to do because we don’t want to ruffle any feathers. We think it’s the smart thing to do simply because we’re afraid to speak out, so, we keep quiet.

Amos continues,

Make it your aim to do what is right, not what is evil, so that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty really will be with you, as you claim he is. Hate what is evil, love what is right, and see that justice prevails in the courts. Perhaps the Lord will be merciful to the people of this nation who are still left alive. – Amos 5:14-15 (GNT)

Right here, in my little country, there is so much injustice but Christians and those who claim God’s sovereignty in their lives, are quiet. Not a word, not a whisper, just silence. And in some other countries we see Pastors, women and men of God, upholding and uplifting, almost genuflecting, leaders who engage in criminal behaviour, and persist in doing what is evil.

Amos continues,

And so the Sovereign Lord Almighty says, “There will be wailing and cries of sorrow in the city streets. Even farmers will be called to mourn the dead along with those who are paid to mourn. There will be wailing in all the vineyards. All this will take place because I am coming to punish you.” The Lord has spoken. – Amos 5:16-17 (GNT)

Perhaps you believe that because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, you do not fall into this category, that Amos’ words aren’t meant for you, and that maybe so but only if you sincerely repent. God still disciplines (see Hebrews 12:7-11). There are still consequences that result from the choices you make (see Galatians 6:7).

Amos continues,

How terrible it will be for you who long for the day of the Lord! What good will that day do you? For you it will be a day of darkness and not of light. It will be like someone who runs from a lion and meets a bear! Or like someone who comes home and puts his hand on the wall—only to be bitten by a snake! The day of the Lord will bring darkness and not light; it will be a day of gloom, without any brightness. – Amos 5:18-20 (GNT)

And then he says,

The Lord says, “I hate your religious festivals; I cannot stand them! When you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will not accept the animals you have fattened to bring me as offerings. Stop your noisy songs; I do not want to listen to your harps. Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry. – Amos 5:21-24 (GNT)

Beloved, we cannot afford to ignore the context of these verses. As in Amos’ day, we are witnessing a system of justice that does not favour all people as it should; it is a prejudicial system of justice. Accepting injustice is aiding and abetting wrongdoing.

Remaining silent is a copout that weakens the fabric of trust in society. In a society that looks quite similar to our own, Amos went straight for the religious jugular, he did not mince God’s words.

No amount of fancy religiosity will negate the fact that we’ve kept quiet in the face of the injustice that is being doled out daily.

Let us repent for the part we have played and pray for the courage to protest injustice when we see it.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Accepting Injustice” ©2026 June 19, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Your Inner Room”

 

For a few weeks now, I’ve been feeling particularly stressed. This feeling is not a vague, wispy mist but more of a heavy, dense fog, a tangible pulsation in my head that comes and goes.

I have been guessing as to what could possibly be the cause, but I haven’t pinpointed any specific reason, and I imagine that my restless thoughts and disquieted soul are adding to this stress that I already feel.

Pray. Yes, that’s what I need to do. Pray and keep on praying, without ceasing is what Apostle Paul says to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. So, I sat alone on the balcony, early in the morning as I often do and, looking toward the heavens, let loose a barrage of prayers – asking and pleading, declaring and proclaiming, talking and talking and talking incessantly without ceasing.

Daylight…time for a cup of tea; I put the kettle on, got my cup, threw in an assortment of leaves, a flower, butterfly pea they call it, then I went back to sit, sip and be silent.

Then, a whisper, “I taught you how to pray.”

“Our Father who art in heaven…” I started but before I could continue, a whisper, “I taught you how to pray.”

Now at a loss, I thought, “What does that mean?”

Matthew chapter six! What did Jesus say in Matthew chapter six? Jesus’ sermon on the Mount. Not long after the Beatitudes, Jesus spoke of examining our motives and about giving with pure motives, not for showing off but secretly, then He taught us how to pray.

Reading verses 5 to 8, it dawned on me that Jesus gave very specific instructions before He gave the ultimate prayer sample which we fondly refer to as The Lord’s Prayer.

And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Motives.

But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Secrecy.

And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 

Hypocrisy.

So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Psalm 139:4 says of God,

Even before I speak, you already know what I will say. (GNT)

If those four verses are the preamble to instructions on how to pray, then why do we recite what Jesus says in the next five verses together in public out loud?

Jesus, it appears, is teaching His audience and us how to prepare to connect to our Creator, the living Source of our lives.

when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret

As I read Matthew 6, more than anything else, your inner room piqued my interest and I wondered: Could there be more to The Lord’s Prayer than meets the eye? Has something been lost in our English translation?

What was I to understand but wasn’t getting? This deserved a deep dive.

The Greek word that would have been used in this verse is tameion – a hidden, private and very secure room in the centre of a house – the inner room, a room that’s located furthest from the street. In most cases, there were no windows in this room, so inside this inner room would be pitch black.

The inner room was reserved for the things you valued most but Jesus wasn’t giving a lecture on architecture or home construction, He was giving a direction; Jesus is telling us of a place where we must go if we are to achieve the deepest communion with God, the Father.

Your inner room is not a physical place but an internal space, somewhere within yourself. So, what is Jesus referring to?

Hearing that whisper, “I taught you how to pray.”, twice, made me think of the occasions in the bible when Jesus says “Verily, verily” – a call to pay attention because what comes next is important. I knew that I had to do some digging.

Digging deeper I came across a word that is used in English which was derived from a Greek word for “bridal bed” and by extension the “inner room” in a house for the bed; the word is thalamus. You must have heard this word before.

A thalamus is in the very centre of each of our brains; it serves as the main relay station for incoming sensory and motor signals; simply put it controls behaviour and is described as the brain's "inner room".

I almost fell to the floor. “Your inner room” that Jesus is referring to, is in your brain?

Beloved, this was a lot to digest, so I’m leaving it here for now, as there’s much more digging to be done, then I’ll be sure to share my findings with you.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Your inner room” ©2026 June 17, 2026

A short prayer for today

 

Heavenly Father, today, I submit all stress and everything that gives rise to stressful feelings in me, to You,

Remove the restless thoughts that have my soul disquieted and renew a calm, unhurried spirit within me.

Thank You for filling me with the peace of God which transcends all understanding that guards my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus, in whose name I pray,

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “A short prayer for today” ©2026 June 16, 2026

 

There’s always a reason

Romans 5:3-4 (NLT) says,

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

Apostle Paul tells us that we can rejoice when we are faced with problems and trials, but when challenges arise, we don’t remember these verses, instead we begin praying earnestly for God to get us out of the mess.

But Paul lets us know that there's always a reason for our sufferings. The NIV translation says that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Whether endurance or perseverance, hard times prove our characters and strengthens our hope and assurance of eternal salvation.

So, do we or don’t we pray? The answer: yes, pray but it’s what we pray about or for that makes a difference.

Ask God to reveal the reason for your hardship.

Ask Him to give you the wherewithal to persevere, to endure for as long as it takes.

Ask God for the peace that transcends understanding and grace that allows you to cling to that peace.

Ask Him to give you a joy-filled heart through the time of testing sore and for it to remain after the trial has passed.

Reading the stories of the ancients in Scripture, you would notice that they were not rescued from their trials, they went through them, emerging with a certain maturity that they did not possess before.

Each one of the protagonists developed strength of character after facing their ordeals with stubborn perseverance.

It’s that same perseverance that empowers us to endure hardships, and the grace of God allows us to get up when we fall.

Joseph’s survival did not depend on escaping the damp cistern, or the Midianites or the Egyptian jail cell; it’s not what was done to him on the outside, but what was developing inside of him during these ordeals.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s survival did not depend on escaping the burning fiery furnace; it’s not what happened on the outside, but what occurred on the inside during the ordeal.

John’s survival on the rugged island of Patmos did not depend on escaping the isolation; it’s not what he saw on the outside, but what he was shown on the inside during his exile.

In all three instances, God was on the inside, and they all recognized His presence.

Beloved, I know how difficult it is to remain hopeful when life goes sideways, when God seems to have abandoned you in a pit of sufferation, but know that whatever hardship you are in right now is not the final chapter…

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]. – 1 Peter 5:10 (AMP)

Joseph told his brothers,

Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. – Genesis 50:20 (NRSVUE)

Although Nebuchadnezzar, before casting Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace, had ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated, in the end he, in amazement said,

Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire?...But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the fourth has the appearance of a god. – Daniel 3:4, 5 (NRSVUE)

John wrote,

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write in a book what you see”…Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and…I saw one like the Son of Man – Revelation 1:10,11,12 13 (NRSVUE)

We too must recognize God even in the dark places. While your world is crumbling, know that God is still there, He hasn’t left you and despite how chaotic life feels, still be grateful because there’s always a reason for the suffering.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “There’s always a reason” ©2026 June 15, 2026