A few weekends ago at our church retreat, the speaker talked about having a memorial of Bible verses.
Memorials are things that remind us of something that happened in the past. The Lincoln Memorial, the USS Arizona Memorial. Memorials, often referred to in the Old Testament, also serves to pass on history to future generations.
Memorials of Bible verses are verses that made a particular impact on us and serves to remind us of God’s work. The speaker at our retreat said, whenever he feels discouraged in his Christian walk, he reread the verses that convicted him to become a Christian. Whenever he felt he wanted to quit the ministry, he reread the verses that called him to be a pastor as a young man. Remembering the past faithfulness of God helps him to persevere.
I have a few Bible verses memorials that I often think of as well.
Philippians 1:21 : For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
When I was in college, I attended the West Coast Conference where I challenged to commit my life to God, wherever he would take me. I would be willing to be a missionary, in full time ministry, to serve wherever I am. After I graduated and worked a couple of years, I decided to attend seminary, in preparation for where God might lead me next. I did not have a particular call to a specific ministry, but Philippians 1:21 reminded that I am committed to live for Christ, and attending seminary was the next step.
I still do not think I have a particular calling but in hindsight, perhaps the calling is for me to serve in a small church. Sometimes I entertain the thought of going to my friends’ bigger churches. But they don’t need me there. To be in a small church means more opportunities to serve, and I’ve committed my life to God to do that.
Psalm 37:4 : Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
God has used relationship problems in my life to show me that it is only in delighting in him that I find ultimate fulfillment. After becoming a Christian in 10th grade, my teenage hormones, along with attention from boys for the first time, challenged me to not look to people but to God. Going through a few crushes and breakups, Psalm 37:4 was there to point me to seek God first instead of waiting for that phone call or that date. The parallel verse in the New Testament in Matthew 6:33 spoke to me in the same way: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (In those day, we read the King James version!)
After I was married, I found that Psalm 37:4 continues to be a memorial that I look to. Marriage does not end your loneliness nor guarantee happiness. My husband cannot meet all my needs. It is only in delighting in God that the desires of my heart will be fulfilled.
John 6:68 : Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.”
This is not a well known verse, but one that is most meaningful to me. Even today my eyes well up with tears as I think of the circumstances that God brought this verse to me 20 years ago. Without going into details, my 4 month old baby died after unsuccessful open heart surgery. I am sure you would understand the doubts and questions I faced. I struggled with holding on to faith in God.
In John 6:68, after Jesus made a bold declaration of being the only way to salvation, many disciples left him. Jesus was no longer popular, being a Christ follower was no longer easy. Jesus turned to his twelve disciples and asked them, “Are you going to leave me too?” God was also asking me, gently with love, Are you going to leave me because being Christian is not easy? Are you going to leave me because you think you can’t trust me anymore?
Simon Peter answered, my paraphrase and my answer to Jesus, “If I leave, what’s the alternative? You’ve always been good to me in the past. No one else has any better answers. You are the one with the words of eternal life.”
Over the years, I still wonder if there are any better answers to life. As you’ve heard me say, Stand To Reason and Greg Koukl has helped me become more and more certain that there are no better answers. And I go back to John 6:68 as my memorial – In tough times, Jesus has the words of eternal life. It is in Him that I have fulfillment, delight, and meaning, the abundant life and eternal life. And yes, I can trust him, even when it’s hard.
I’ve collected a few more memorials of Bible verses, including the book of Habakkuk. I’ve already written several posts about Habakkuk.
For those who read this blog, all 12 of you, I encourage you to find verses that you can hang on to, and meditate on them often.