So here’s a question. If you were only going to memorise one of the twelve Texts for Life verses we’re encouraging everyone in our community to memorise, then which one would it be?
I guess that across the church we’d get a whole load of different answers to that question, based on people’s favourite verse, or the one they’ve found most helpful in the past. I wonder what your answer would be and why?
For me I know that this weeks verse, Romans 8:28, is the one which I use and quote the most frequently in every day life. Why? I think because it gives me a lens through which I can view the whole of life. That I can apply this verse to everything that life throws and me and those around me. The good things, the bad things, the unexpected things, the dreaded things, the happy things and the sad things, the things which make me thank God and the things which make me wonder if God is really there. All of them are covered by Paul’s “in all things”, and all of them are included in Paul’s statement that in all of these things God is working for good.
I wonder what events from your past you need to see through the lens of Romans 8:28, and what things happening to you right now you need to apply this verse to.
We have all heard this verse so many times and know it to be one of Simon’s favourites but until today I had not heard it and had it unpacked so clearly that I could apply it to my life and experiences.
The last few days have been a struggle; battling with memories from my childhood and issues of more recent times I awoke this morning feeling very vulnerable and could quite easily have crawl back under the duvet.
Today’s message was what I needed to hear at a time that was even more pertinent. I ‘blubbed’ quietly through worship and scripture but the prayer that was spontaneously given to me by someone I respect and love & that knew something of why I was struggling, just left me feeling so released from the burdens I had been carrying around for so long.
Thank you Simon for opening my eyes to this verse and thank you God for your healing brought to me through prayer.