When I was a young Christian, the pastor of my church often said that Scripture needs to be interpreted with Scripture. A believer must not simply take the word of a teacher or preacher nor should we take Scripture out of context. We should examine the Scriptures, the whole of Scripture, to make sure we are not led astray. This became a cornerstone of my walk with Christ and established very early on a love for the written Word of God.
In my current Bible study (To Live Is Christ by Beth Moore), a recent lesson was on this very thing. The key passage was from Acts 17:11 which says:
“Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” (NASB95)
Toward the end of the lesson, Beth wrote:
When we’ve learned to examine the Scriptures for ourselves, we have a few things nailed down when life starts to rock. I cannot express to you how studying God’s Word has helped me when the earth around me seemed to quake. At times when everything seemed to fall apart in my life, the Word abiding in me kept me from falling apart with them.
Then she asked:
What is at least one Scripture or biblical concept you’ve nailed down that has kept you from toppling when everything around you seemed to rock?
Wow! Important question. Right now, the whole world seems to be rocking, doesn’t it? The stock market falling again. Unemployment high. Governments in chaos. Riots. Wars and rumors of war. And of course, my own little personal world did quite a bit of rocking over the past year or two: broken ankle, losing my mom, having cancer.
So how did I answer Beth’s question about what is nailed down in my life? The first two that popped into my head were:
“His grace is sufficient” (2 Cor 12:9) and “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Neh 8:10).
I could have continued on if I’d had more time and the space to write the answers. An examination of the lessons learned through my life and the faithfulness of God (both when life is smooth and when life is rocky) would produce lots of answers. A long, long list of them. But the workbook only gave me two short lines to fill in so I stopped with the above.
Now I’m curious. How would you answer Beth’s question? What Scripture or biblical concept have you nailed down that has kept you from toppling when everything around you seems to rock? Don’t think about it too long. Share your first impression, the answer that popped into your head immediately.
~robin
Psalm 46, especially the first three and last two verses:
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Also Isaiah 41:10: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Beautiful! And amen.
The Lord is Good. there are about a 100 different verses that have this in them. If I don’t believe that the Lord is good, the rest of it makes no sense to me. It still may not make sense, but if God is good then whatever sense it makes to Him is “good enough for me”. We will spend eternity for all the good things He has done- and in eternity it will then make sense, I’m sure. I have to wait and trust Him, but I can, because if nothing else God is good. And His love endures forever.
Love it, Cynthia. Thanks for sharing.
There are many, but the one that sustains me the most is Psalm 27:13-14. It was first brought to my personal attention just after my husband died suddenly from unknown causes at a young age. I thought my life was over. I had my happiness. Only in my next life would I know joy again. That morning the Psalm was listed in my daily devotions: “I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.” Those words have sustained me through many difficult moments.
Beautiful, Cecilia. Thanks for sharing!