I remember a time when I was a young man and was driving home on a rainy afternoon. I was approaching the top of a hill and was going too fast. As I crested the hill, I saw a tractor in the same lane I was in and I slammed on the breaks. My car slid around and I ended up facing the other direction, nestled right next to the guard-rail. I was very thankful that I did not hit the guard-rail, but I was sure glad it was there. It would have protected me from a very nasty fall off that road. There are times in each of our lives that we forget the goal, and we swerve off the course God has for us.
Today I want to tell you about my “life verse.” What is a “life verse?” I believe it is a verse that touches your heart from the Word of God that you would like to be the guard-rails for your life. God touched my heart years ago with this verse: “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (II Corinthians 4:5). This is the verse God touched my heart to live in.
This verse has become the goal of my life for many years. The “guard-rail” on one side is that I don’t want to become so focused on myself that I begin to preach about myself. This is a temptation that comes to every person who teaches, or preaches in front of others. I love to tell stories about what I have experienced, but those stories are not going to be life-changing, unless Jesus is right in the middle of them. I know that a story about my life will do nothing more than entertain those listening for a few minutes. On the other hand, when I talk about Jesus … that story has the opportunity to change a life for eternity. I don’t want to preach about me … I want to preach about Jesus. After preaching about Jesus, if I continue to live a self-centered life, my message loses all its power. Because of that, the “guard-rail” on the other side of my life is one of true service to others. I am not naturally someone that wants to serve. I’m just like you … I like it when others do things for me, rather than me doing things for others. However, if I am going to have an effective life … a life that influences others, I must be willing to serve others. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of this kind of heart. I simply want to preach Jesus, and then I want to display His servant’s heart in my life. I want to encourage you to ask God to give you a life-verse, if you don’t have one already. Establish some biblical “guard-rails” for your life and then enjoy being in the center of God’s will. When you get near the edge, stop, turn around, and get back on track!