Category: God is great

Top verse search

I started wondering last night about which verse in the Bible is highest in web searches. I suspected John 3:16 would top the list. This morning I decided to do some searching of my own and see.

This year presented a few changes. The top spot was taken by Isaiah 41:10 pushing the perennial favourite John 3:16 into second place. Third was taken by Jeremiah 29:11.

Seems wonderful choices to me. There is speculation that people are fearful, whether it is the pandemic or the response to the pandemic, or the economic failures, or any number of reasons. As a result, Isaiah 41:10 has risen to the top for 2020.

I will not speculate too much; I’ll just share the top three verse and you can see what people all over the world are finding online.

  1. Isaiah 41: 10   So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
  2. John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
  3. 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.

I am a sinner

The other day I was reading in Luke. Two verses caught my attention and got my mind whirling.

Luke 5: 31-32 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

It’s us! We are sinners. We are the sick.

He came for us. Do we act like he came for us?

I don’t always live this way. I expect blessings and positive things because I’ve made good choices, because I’m a good Christian. I catch myself feeling angry when things don’t go my way as I have been a good servant and I deserve to be compensated.

Maybe you don’t feel this way. Which is excellent. But if I’m truly being honest, I do. I think it’s a natural reaction. But just because its natural doesn’t mean its right.

The truth is I’m a sinner. I don’t deserve anything from God. And yet he gives it freely to me. I’m no better than the lowest murderer in prison, even though the world would tell me I am.  Regardless of what the wisdom of man says, I’m not better. I’m ever bit as human. I am a sinner.

Humility is the position in which I should approach God. Head down afraid to look up, should be my posture.

Why did Christ say this? He was asked why he was hanging out with lowly people like tax collectors. The people asking him this obviously thought that there was a hierarchy of people. Some people are better than others. Some people are worth Jesus’ time, some are not.

Do I do this? Do I decide that I am better than other people? Because I’ve made better choices, I’ve lived a better life, or I have better opinions and ideas? OUCH! Maybe I need a bit more humility on this front too.

Deciding to humble myself before the creator is understandable. That I get. Humbling myself among my equals… takes more convincing.

But maybe humility is the key to peace and understanding. What if we approach people as though they are of equal value? What would happen to our world? I posit that this would be revolutionary. Much of our conflict and strife would disappear.

Wait a minute… Love God, Love your neighbour! Could it be that simple?

Quiet before God

Ecclesiastes 5: 1 – 3   

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather
than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

The hurly burly of the world around us can be overwhelming, scary, and unpredictable. We can see the tumult in our own lives and wonder, “What is this all about?” We can question God. We can marvel at the chaos. We think, muse, sort out and try to answer.

But I find it does my soul great good just to remember the size of God. The awesomeness of God.

So today I’m just sitting in this thought. I don’t have answers. I don’t have predictions. I don’t have any opinions.

Today I sit silent. Nothing too offer. No words. Just wonder and awe.