By Gina Caswell Kelly
If you ask someone about their favorite scripture from the Bible, most would say either John 3:16 or Psalm 23. Both are great verses! They both certainly fall in my top choices. But why are these two considered the favorites of so many? For some, it might be the only ones they know of! For most, there is the personal nature of these two scriptures.
Psalm 23 gives the image of such a very personal God. This One that is the Shepherd to us. Leading, guiding, guarding all the way. We do not want for anything. The Savior Shepherd takes care of us, if we let Him. He wants rest for us, in order that we would be refreshed for the next task. He leads us in the way that is right. Even though our days might turn dark, we don’t have to be scared because this One is right there with us bringing comfort. He even keeps us safe in the presence of our enemies. He lifts us up when others would put us down. His goodness and His love follow us all of our days, and then He takes us home to live with Him forever. Yes! A personal God that cares so much about each one of us. This chapter is so very comforting, no matter what we are going through in our lives.
John 3:16 is different. Where Psalm talks about this daily God who cares and guides us and protects us, John 3:16 takes it even further. His care and His love is so great that He did not hesitate to offer His very own Son as a sacrifice for us, even when we are at our very worst. We don’t have to be worthy. We don’t have to be perfect. We don’t have to become preachers or carry our Bibles every where we go. He looked at His very imperfect children and recognized their need for a Savior that could do what we could never do for ourselves. We can never live lives worthy of the great love of God. We can never do enough to earn our way in. We just have to come like little ones and believe, even in what we can not see. We believe in this Father who loved us so much, He gave His only Son to die a horrible death on the cross for us. We believe in this Son who loved us so much that He was willing to live the life of a man born to die. To die carrying the burden of sins He never committed. Our sins were nailed to the cross with Him. Each bang of the hammer represented our sins, one by one, being covered by the blood of Jesus. And the great gift of this, is just the way Psalm 23 ends. Everlasting life with Him in heaven.
Can you imagine anything greater than seeing the face of Jesus in heaven! To finally get to look into the eyes of this One who gave His very own life for me! And for you. I could just burst with the joy of the knowledge that I will one day be with Him! I hope you are ready to join me there! Give your heart to the Savior. Let the Father guide you. It will all make a difference!
