Several years ago members of the Northland Christian Writers Group were asked to write down their favourite verses and the reason for them. This was what I submitted for that assignment……

My Favourite Verses!

Psalm 37: verses 3-5.   Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.   Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.  (KJV)

I’ve chosen these verses rather than a Gospel verse for this reason. The Gospel is the   gateway to the Christian life, and where one starts.   I have already done that, and these verses are the route  I am travelling, and the chart for my way.

Firstly to “Trust in the Lord” is the key to daily  living. Everything I do has to be rooted in trusting the Lord. Everything I have is from the Lord, and He supplies my every need. If I have little, then I give thanks (and don’t complain!), tighten my belt and realise that I’m still alive. If I have plenty, then I make the most of it, and give thanks for that too.

Secondly,  “delighting myself in the Lord”, is not a blank cheque for getting what I  want.  Pleasing my self is not delighting the Lord!  The more I delight in the Lord, the more I want  to please Him, and my desires become those which He wants for me. He wants me to  exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in my life.  Bitterness or resentment does not please God. Nor does overriding others, being impatient or behaving rudely. God does not want me  to be conformed to the world and its ways. The more I delight in Him, the less hold the world has on me. I may have no idea what God wants  for me, but as He works on me through His Word, it gradually comes to pass.

Thirdly, I am to “Commit my way to the Lord” and trust in Him even though what is happening doesn’t make sense. Just as I would cling to a life belt if I fell into the water, so I must cling to Him through the darkness as it seeks to envelop me. I must remember that this too, will pass, and the light will shine again. There is always joy on the other side, God WILL bring it to pass!

“Trusting in the Lord”  is the vehicle that takes me forward. “Delighting in the Lord” is travelling with  Him, and  “Committing my way to the Lord” is seeking His direction, and allowing Him to do the steering, and choose the route!