Life verse

Do you have a Bible verse that you cling to, recite, memorize, cherish, that basically sums up your life, or encourages you, prophesies blessing in return for all your challenges, or gives you strength whenever you need it? I do.

All over my room, in my Bible, even popping up on my cell phone when I flip it open. Anyone who knows me personally and knows anything about my life history can totally see why I cherish this verse.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." --Psalm 40: 1-3

I may write a whole book on just those three verses of scripture one day. Let's just say I've gotten a lot of spiritual wisdom and encouragement out of this passage. To strip it down to the basics of what I get out of this... and believe me, I have experienced these promises coming to fruition in my life... I can give you four promises from God here out of this passage.

1) God always hears you, and God rewards you when you passionately and persistently seek Him.

2) God will deliver you when you are at your lowest point. He did not put you on this earth to stay at the bottom and plow through life with misery.

3) God will fill you with joy to the point where you'll be singing. You can really, REALLY, be overjoyed by your relationship with the living God!

4) As God transforms you, other people will notice, and be ministered to.

Just to say something quickly about 2 and 3, I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine, and we were talking about friends we have that are at such low points. And we agreed that so much of the hurt would be healed, so much of the gap can be filled, if they would just sell out to Jesus!!! God is so real and so loving, and so interactive, and words cannot adequately describe just how powerful He is. We longed for a way to articulate to our friends that they aren't joining a "religion" when you authentically do life with Jesus... that adopting a new set of "rules" for life does not remotely describe being born again as a child of God. If you seek Him, He will deliver you, fill you with joy, and transform you AND others!

I have experienced it time after time, and that's why I cling to this verse everywhere I go, for over nine years. I'll have it with me for eternity... literally.