“I was talking with a neighbor the other day,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for Ricky to bring breakfast. “He was telling me about 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 his first Bible study class, the leader asked the people in the class to introduce themselves and tell 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 that life verses can play in a person’s faith walk. My neighbor mentioned that the class leader said there are over 31,000 verses in the Bible so there are a lot of choices!!”
“How about you, Stan?” I said. “What’s your life verse?”
“I actually have several,” he replied. “But my favorite is James 4:8. It pretty much defines for me what my faith walk is all about.”
“James 4:8,” I said. “Remind me what it says.”
“That if I choose to draw near to God, He will respond and draw near to me,” Stan replied.
“Over the years,” he continued, “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 with Him 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. “Now if people ask me whether I have a life verse, I have an answer that gives me the opportunity to share my faith and possibly help them want to draw nearer to God.”
“That, all by itself,” I said, “sounds like a good reason to have a life verse!”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Stan replied with a smile.
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Bible verses to consider:
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8.
We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9-10
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. Thank you, too, for the truth of your word that I can make a part of my walk with you while I remain on this side of eternity. Thank you that as I choose to draw near to you that you respond by drawing near to me. I confess that too often I don’t choose to draw near to you and, as a result, I miss having you draw near to me. Please forgive the foolishness of missing anything you have for me. 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? If no, why do you want to remain separated from Him? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing in drawing ever closer to God while He keeps you 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 