Favorite verses

I was talking with a couple of the Sankey girls the other day, and we were having a great conversation. One of the girls asked me what my favorite Bible verse was. I immediately realized I definitely don’t just have one favorite, but I do have two that stand out more than others.

The first is Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” For obvious reasons that verse means much more to me now than it ever has. It has been such a great comfort during hard times. I love to picture God leading my path, and me actually following Him, not afraid, not weak, but strong and courageous into the unknown. But this was not the verse I told the girls about.

I told them the other verse that I hold close to my heart. John 16:33 “For I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world.” There is a quick story as to why that is so dear to me. One cold autumn night when I was at Wheaton College, I was having a hard time with just about everything in my life.  I sat down on a bench just outside Blanchard Hall. Everything seemed to be stacked against me.  I was just barely keeping my head above water in my studies. I was beginning to realize that basketball wasn’t my saving grace, and that I was just an average player on a really good team.  Never the Batman always the Robin, and I was trying to come to grips with that fact for the first time in my life. I felt as though I was at a breaking point, and I poured my heart out to the Lord in prayer. When I finished praying I didn’t feel any different, so I sat there for a few more minutes. Then I finally decided to get up and go back to my dorm room. I stood up and looked down at the bench I was sitting on, there on the backrest was a plaque imbedded into the wood. It was a simple Bible quote, “For I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world.” I was stunned. I realized what I was going through was nothing compared to what Jesus went through for me. That verse brought me so much joy, and I sat right back down and thanked God for all that He had done for me. I thanked Him for overcoming the world. It was a very special moment in my life where I truly felt God’s love for me.

So I told the girls this story, and when I was done I asked them what their favorite verses were. One immediately said Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” I smiled because for this girl it was such a perfect verse. Though I only know her a little bit she definitely has a joyful spirit that can easily be seen in all she does.

Then I asked the other girl who was there and she said Psalms 27:10. I didn’t know what that was off hand so I had to look it up, and when I read it I nearly cried. It reads, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” It's hard to imagine the pain of an orphan, but to get a glimpse of the hope the God gives as The Father is staggering.

I’m amazed at how perfect the word of the Lord is for all people and all situations.

God Bless