Have you ever opened the Bible at random and taken as your verse for the day whatever verse your eyes went to? I have done this, and sometimes it has worked, but more often than not, the verse by itself, taken out of context, has held little meaning. Instead of treating our devotional time like a wheel of fortune, I would like to encourage us to take a more systematic approach. Psalms and Proverbs, near the middle of the Bible, are a good place to start.

In my own case, I keep a notebook and jot down any verses that seem to speak to me directly. I've written down verses that brought comfort when I was spending too many hours awake at night worrying about the health of one of my children.

Psalm 4:8 – I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. (NLT)

When I've been concerned over the future, I wrote:

Psalm 37:5 – Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. (NLT)

When I wanted to express my praise to God for taking care of me, I used these words:

Psalm 57:5 – Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth. (NLT)

When we record these special words God has given us, we are compiling a wonderful and personal diary — one that we can use when we need a treasured reminder of God's love and care for us.

Prayer: Dear God, today we would like to thank You for Your many words of comfort and blessing. Please help us to remember these words as we go about the activities of our day. Amen.

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About the author:

Elaine Ingalls Hogg <authorhogg@yahoo.ca>
Smiths Creek, New Brunswick, Canada
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