My Three Favorite Bible Verses

One of my dear blogging buddies, Colleen at Thoughts on Grace, posted the following meme.

Here are the rules:

1.Write a post on your three favorite verses from the Bible and why you like them.

2. Link back to this post.

3. In your post tag three other bloggers to carry this theme forward, link to you and tag additional bloggers.

Like Colleen, I decided to not follow the rules exactly & just let anyone who wanted to participate, do so. Just make sure you let me know...I'd love to hear what your favorite verses are.

I thought this would be tough at first, but once I posted the first verse, the other two came to mind quickly. Although, there are MANY other verses I could have chosen!

1) Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe, plans to give you a future full of hope."

This verse has always been so comforting to me. It tells me that no matter what I am going through at the moment, it is all part of the plan God has for my life. All I need to do is turn to Him in times of struggle or stress & accept the comfort & hope found in His arms.

2) Psalm 23:4 - "Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage."

Another comforting verse. I wish I could have chosen all of Psalm 23, but the rules state one verse not chapter! This verse helps me to remember that God is always there & will not leave my side. Whenever I am fearing something, I can turn to Him for comfort & courage. Just recently, when I had the first facet joint block on my back, I prayed while waiting for the procedure to begin, then during the procedure itself. When the nurse told me I did very well, I told him that praying is what kept me calm.

3) John 19:30 - "It is finished."

If I had been asked to do this meme several months ago, this verse probably wouldn't be one I listed. My small church community has been reading the book The Life-Giving Power of the Cross by Jeanne Kun (published by The Word Among Us Press). In the first chapter, she mentions John 19:30 on two levels. Literally, we take it to that the end of Jesus' life has arrived...the last words He spoke from the cross. But if you look deeper, there is another meaning that is not sad. He is expressing His satisfaction that His work here on earth has been accomplished. I can relate that to my life & ask myself if I am working on accomplishing my mission from God. At the end of my life, will I be able to confidently say, "It is finished"?