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Bible - EncouragementPublished: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:50:35 -0500 Brenden Kelley One of my favorite verses in the Bible is, coincidently, the first verse of the Bible. Genesis 1:1 is a verse that many young children quickly learn by heart, but one can find so much meaning in this little verse: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This verse holds great encouragement to one in times of trouble and a great shoulder to lean on. “In the beginning, God . . .” shows that God has existed before the beginning. The start of human life is so short, yet God has been around forever. I have found that trusting in a being that has no end is the greatest sense of enjoyment imaginable. Think about it: someone who has been around forever wants to be your friend. “Created the heavens and the earth” shows just how big God’s shoulders are. Everything that we see around us, form the infinitely complex cell to the glorious human body and all its wonders, was created by God. Our top scientists have a hard time understanding all that we see and what we do not see, yet God created all of it. If one has someone like that to lean on, one needs no one else. Jocelyn Farrell “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). It’s a short verse, and to some it is simply stating a fact. To me, however, it says more. Life can throw all sorts of problems at us, and at times I just want to break down in tears. But is that un-Christlike? Does that show that I am not strong enough in my faith to endure these hardships? Not at all; this verse plainly states the Jesus wept. Jesus, the Creator of the world, my Redeemer, my Rock, my Comfort through these hardships—even he wept. He isn’t going to criticize me and say, “Jocelyn, suck it up! Look at all the times that I was (undeservedly!) hurt, and I didn’t shed a tear! But you—you deserve it!” Instead, he can completely identify with me. He looks at my tears, and he remembers them; the very same tears that rolled down his cheek are rolling down my cheek too. He doesn’t wipe my pain away, but he does reach out his hand and wipe the tears away.
Kristen Schaab
Psalm 61:1-3 “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.”
June 14th, 2005. My boyfriend Robert, my sister Kathryn, our Dutch friend Rymson, and I were standing outside the Houston Museum of Natural Science, hiding from the rain under an awning. My dad was getting the car to pick us up so we wouldn’t have to walk through the rain. It took a while, but finally my dad pulled up in the silver SUV rental. The four of us all ran to the car and hopped in – Rymson, Kathryn, and me in the back, and Robert in the front. Immediately when we were in and the doors were shut, my dad said, “Robert, do you have your driver’s license with you?” Confusion set in as Robert replied, “Yes, sir.” Dad answered, “Good, because I may need you to drive for me.” It was then that we notice that my father had a golf ball sized lump on his forehead, and his left elbow was bleeding excessively. He had fallen in the parking lot when getting the car. My dad drove for about an hour, and then we stopped at an emergency care building. My hands were shaking as I filled out the information form for my dad. They took him to the back for x-rays. I unsteadily sat down in the waiting room and noticed a Bible on the table next to me. I picked it up and opened it randomly. It opened to Psalm 61:1-3, which I read and almost started crying as I gave it to Robert for him to read. Dad came out with two cracked ribs, a throbbing sore on his head, and a bandaged elbow. He drove the remaining four hours home, and I continuously praised God that it wasn’t worse. Psalm 61:1-3 calmed my spirit and reminded me that even though times may be hard, God is always there and he uses everything for good.
Lattany Lamons
2 Corinthians 12:9 “[His] grace is sufficient for you, for my [His] power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
On Tuesday, July 20th, 2005, my nephew, Corbin, was born with half a heart. Congenital Heart Defects are the number one cause of death in children under two years, more than childhood cancer, and Corbin was born with one of the more common and most severe CHDs, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which essentially means he is missing the left side of his heart. His first six months were spent in the hospital, where he underwent four open-heart surgeries, spent extended time on life-support, and endured countless other procedures including multiple heart catheterizations and angioplasties. During this time, my family assumed care for Corbin’s three older brothers, Gunnar (5), Aiden (3), and Brodie (2). There were mornings that I would be awoken with, “Good morning. Corbin had a bad night and is going in for another heart catheterization at 9AM. The doctors don’t know what could be wrong or what else they can do, but they’re going to take a look around and see. The kids need breakfast and don’t forget to update the prayer list.” It was mornings like these and the nights where we absolutely dreaded hearing the phone ring for fear of what news would be on the other end that all earthly strongholds were stripped away.
There was no medical hope, for we knew that the doctors had limited ability, no logical reason to hope, for we were well-aware that half a heart is not compatible with life, and no hope within myself, for I was completely helpless to do anything to “fix” the situation. Yet those ever-familiar words would run through my head, “His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made PERFECT in my weakness.” And how weak I was! When I was brought to my lowest point and had no where else to turn except to the One who holds all things in His mighty hands, I found that He was indeed “sufficient”. When I was left with nothing else, I was able to rest completely in the comfort, peace and never-ending grace that is my Almighty.
One particularly difficult morning, I looked up the word “sufficient” in the dictionary. Webster defines the word “sufficient” as “being as much as is needed.” God used this to comfort my heart, as I realized that no matter how poor my situation seemed or how powerless I felt, His grace is always sufficient! There has never been and will never be a trial that is greater than His grace. Further, as my trials increase, so will His grace!
Today, Corbin’s family is united together and he is doing wonderfully, now eighteen months old. What a privilege it is to see the grace of God manifested in this little guy as we watch him learn to walk, talk, and tease his older brothers. He will return for another open-heart surgery in April.
Samantha Young
Isaiah 55: 8-9
Ever since I ran across these verses while reading through Isaiah several years ago, the passage has become one of my all time favorites. We all know that God’s plans often differ from our own and that, in the end, his ways prove better. Many are familiar with the verse, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). But what I love so much about Isaiah 55:9 is the word picture it provides. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,” God righteously declares, “so are my ways higher than your ways.” My mind cannot grasp the limits of our own solar system, let alone the distance and spread of other galaxies. The universe defies my very imagination with its enormity. Yet this verse says that, in the same way, God’s plans—even his very thoughts—immeasurably surpass my own; I can comprehend them no more than I can fathom the dimensions of the heavens. These verses inspire us with the assurance that we may truly say with Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13:15). Through difficult times our hearts can truly sing, “Jesus all I have is You / You’re the hope I’m holding to / I might weep but still my faith rests in You / As the Heavens hold the sky / It’s Your hand that holds my life / And Your love will lead me on when all else is gone.”
Rachel Morton
I have so many favorite Bible verses, and over the years it has become increasingly difficult to decide which one means the most to me. I quote Jeremiah 29:11 when I worry about my future, Romans 8:28 when I struggle with wanting to know God’s plan, Psalm 91:11 when I grow fearful, and John 15:16 when I ask God why He chose me to be who I am.
However, one verse does stick out in my mind above the others, and I use it when I question God’s judgment. Job 5:17-18 – “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He also binds up; He injures but His hands also heal.” This verse ties in with all of my other favorites as it answers every question I have for God. Why me? What do you want from my life? Will you always protect and guide me? Job 5:17-18 assures me that God knows what He’s doing. I may face trials, but those trials serve only to strengthen my faith, and to bring God glory through the attitude I take during those trials. He will correct me, but He will also help me through the “correction process.” It comforts me to know that God holds my life in His hands, no matter what the circumstances, and to know that I can overcome any trial as long as I let Him rule my life.
Jessica Paul
A verse that has been particularly meaningful to me is Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This verse is just an awesome reminder to me when I'm struggling through daily life. So often I get caught up in my problems, but this verse helps me remember that God has planned everything. It's a reminder of how He will work everything out for His glory. When I stop to think about it, there is no situation that I've had that He hasn't turned around to make me stronger. It's just incredible that God loves me so much that He would make the promise of a prosperous life and never to harm me.
Audrey Hay
Isaiah
40:28-31
The first time I really read these four verses was right after a particularly difficult time in my life. We had left our old church on not the best of terms, and I felt completely alone, lost, and helpless. I had read the verses before, but they didn’t seem special to me in any way. But when I came across those verses that day, I was completely overwhelmed! Here I was, feeling horrible, and as if I had no strength to go on, and God tells me that no matter what, He will always be there to give me strength. Suddenly, I knew that whatever happened, I would never again have to feel completely alone, and drained of all my strength. I knew that God would always be there to comfort, and help me through whatever rough times I had. I can’t say I’ll never feel alone again, but whenever I do, I know that I will always have a friend there to help me through.
Lizzie Spotts
Exodus 14:14 I discovered this gem of a verse when I was reading through the story of the Israelites' leaving Egypt. This was just before the parting of the Red Sea, when the Israelites were trapped between the oncoming Egyptians and the sea.
Sometimes, my situation parallels that of the Israelites - no, I have never been a slave in Egypt, but occasionally I am between a rock and a hard place. In times like these, I recite this passage to myself over and over, and, after a while, I realize that no matter what, God's fighting for me and will never let me go. He knows exactly what's going on in my life even when I'm stuck between the Egyptians and the Red Sea; he has never failed me yet and never, ever will, no matter how many times I have failed him.
Anna Fisher
Romans 6:17-18
It was one of those days where everything is going well, and just when I was convinced of my supreme self-sufficiency, it all went up in flames. In a somewhat frustrated and rebellious state of mind, I called this circumstance “persecution.” Frustrated and rather rebellious, I remembered reading Romans 6 a few days back and the passage popped into my mind. With my "Romans is theology and therefore inapplicable to suffering people" mindset, I flipped to the passage with a somewhat skeptical air.
The whole chapter is full of meaning, but the two verses I’ve selected perhaps show it best. It’s a chapter full of promise, that as believers we are free from sin and slaves to righteousness. In the previously given scenario, I thought I was suffering needlessly. He showed me that my circumstances were not persecution or punishment, but His way of reminding me of my own insufficiency and Christ’s awesome sufficiency. Every time I read this passage, I am reminded of God’s mercy and grace—not only of his mercy in redeeming me and enslaving me to righteousness, but also in the way he mercifully seeks me when I do not seek him, and turns me again towards Himself.
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