“I was talking with a neighbor the other day,” Stan commented one morning, “and he had an interesting perspective on his life verse.”
“Life verse?” I said. “You mean like a single Bible verse that kind of defines your life as you walk in faith?”
“That’s basically it,” Stan replied. “My neighbor told me that when he came to faith and was at the first night of his first Bible study class the leader asked each person to introduce themselves and tell the class about their life verse if they had one.”
“Did he have one?” I asked.
“He said he didn’t have one and was kind of embarrassed about it as other people in the class talked about their life verses,” Stan replied. “When it was his turn to share, he told the class that he was new to Bible study and didn’t have a life verse.”
“That must have been kind of uncomfortable for him,” I commented.
“Not so much,” Stan replied. “He said the class leader was very good and led a nice discussion about the role life verses can play in a person’s faith walk. Somehow he knew there are over 31,000 verses in the Bible and said there are a lot of choices!”
“How about you, Stan?” I asked. “You have a life verse?”
“I do,” he said. “James 4:8 pretty much defines for me what my faith walk is all about.”
“What’s that say?”
“That if I choose to draw near to God, He will respond and draw near to me,” Stan replied. “And I’ve found that as I have chosen to draw near to God, and He has responded, I am led into an ever-deepening relationship where I keep drawing closer to Him and He continually responds by drawing closer to me.”
“On and on it goes,” I replied, “deeper and deeper. Is that it?”
“That’s been my experience,” Stan responded. “And I can tell you it has been — and is — an amazing experience of drawing ever closer to God while He keeps me on this side of eternity.”
“Small wonder,” I said, “that you call it your life verse. Have you thought about calling it your ‘eternal life verse’?” I asked with a smile.
“You mean drawing ever closer to God through the eternal life of knowing the Father and the Son that John wrote about in his gospel?” Stan asked. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I think you’ve got a point! Drawing ever closer to God is certainly how a person can come to know Him!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8.
The Lord is with you when you are with Him. 2 Chronicles 15:2.
And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your free and gracious provision of life eternally with you when my time here is completed. Thank you, too, for the eternal life of knowing you and Jesus in an ever-deepening relationship when I choose to draw near to you and you respond by drawing near to me. I confess that too often I do not choose to draw near to you and, as a result, I miss having you draw near to me. Please forgive the foolishness of that approach to living this life you have given me to live. And please, Father, help me follow every step of your lead into the deepest possible relationship with you. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you chosen to draw near to God for eternal purposes by accepting His free and gracious provision of life with Him forever when your time here is completed? If no, why? What’s in the way? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing in drawing ever closer to God on this side of eternity? Have you experienced the wonder that if you choose to draw near to Him, He does draw near to you? If you haven’t experienced that and would like to, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not? How about a life verse — do you have one? What is it and what does it mean to you? If you don’t have one, do you think you should?
Waiting for the Train 