“Having a life verse is one of the most powerful tools I know for simplifying your life.”
Bill Hybels, page 223 in his book “Simplify”.
I’ve had one for a while; one that I enjoyed because of its implied challenge to a crowd, “What is 1 John 3:16?” Many would quote John 3:16 in response. But I centered my vocational call out of 1 John 3:16 which states, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” It was during a college retreat that I found that verse and have spent the next 21 years of my life trying to stay focused on laying down my life for teenagers who are looking for direction in life. I want to give that to them through a relationship with myself and other Christian adults who are willing to share life with them.
It was during a class in the spring of 2015 that I read Bill Hybel’s book, “Simplify”. There was nothing profound in the book, just basic fundamentals of Christian living. It was all good stuff that reminded me of life with Jesus. In the midst of the reading, he challenged us to have a Life Verse. This is not something that should have rocked me since I already had a verse. But I felt it was time to, as my wife says about various things, “Upgrade to a new model.” So, I began thinking about it. I came to this:
Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2
Why? I think this season of life for me personally to stop trying and a time to start seeking. I saw and experienced seeking in my first ministry job. I was a part of a network of Sr. Pastors (as a youth pastor) who shared pulpits, served the poor, and cared deeply for each other. I saw healing and life transformation in the community. But I didn’t stay there. I think it is time to go back. A few years back my wife and I set some lofty personal goals. We set out to graduate seminary (done), adopt a child (done – well the adoption is done, the life training is in it’s toddler stages…!), and achieve a financial milestone (done). Upon completion of those achievements, we deliberately said we didn’t want to jump directly into the next thing. So we’ve been waiting and talking about what season would be for us. Bill says it like this, “Don’t rush the process – take time to discern which verse would best act as a lighthouse for you, calling you back to God’s desires for your life.” (Page 224).
I think that is what Habakkuk does for me. It calls me back to God’s desire for me: to simply seek Him, remember His deeds, and pray for them to return to my life, my family, my community, state and nation. I will admit that even though I’ve had this verse on my mind for about a year now, I have not taken it internally. It is time. Pray with me:
Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2
Peace,
Brad Schelling
