November 29, 2021: Remember That Verse?

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 105:119, KJV).

When I was growing up, a standard part of my week was memory verses. Some of the earliest verses I remember learning are “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1, KJV), “All things work together for good” (Rom. 8:28, KJV) and “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16, KJV).

Many of these verses have stayed with me, and they will come to mind when prompted by everyday circumstances. When thinking about this devotional book, I found my thoughts turning to those memory verses from long ago.

One was a text that reminds us that God is always with us. It was written to God’s people at a time when they had many reasons to wonder what their future held: “Fear not, for I am with you,” is the message of Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV). And Joshua, the leader who had wandered with Israel throughout his nomadic life, is able to confidently state, “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9, NIV). There is comfort in remembering that our destiny and ultimate happiness is in God’s hands.

Isaiah also reminds, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength” (Isa. 40:31, NIV), affirming the great power that hope brings to our lives.

A verse that has been both a comfort and challenge to me is Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (NKJV).

I’m thankful for the way faith guides our daily lives. I’m thankful for these little bits of Scripture that help bring God’s care and calling into focus.

O Lord, let the verses we have learned provide direction for the way we should live. Amen.

Terry Forde is the president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare in Maryland.