I already know what verse will be on my gravemarker. Or urn, depending on how all that goes.
It’s Philippians 1:21: Christ in me is to live, to die is to gain.
I first heard it in a song, as a relatively new Christian attending a campus fellowship group at my college. This was the early 80s and by modern standards the song might be a bit wimpy, but back then it was “contemporary.”
But the words were, and are, timeless.
One verses summarizes the entirety of the Christian experience: life, genuine & adventuresome life, is found through relationship with Christ.
And then dying is even better than that. It’s life after life in Christ’s presence.
So that’s my favorite verse of them all. It’s how I want to be remembered.
What’s your favorite verse and what does it say about your legacy?
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My favorite verse in the entire Bible is Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God. Sometimes we forget in hustle and bustle of everyday life that we need to be silent in order to be able to listen for that still small voice that is our Lord in the Holy Spirit. Only when I am still and wait do I truly commune with the Holy Spirit and I listen in order to be obedient to his commands. June Suddreth
For me, Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” As I have heard my calling into ministry, gone through some rough and some wonderful times in life, lived into what it is to be a minister/pastor/preacher, over and over again, I am reminded to be still and know that God is God. I’m not God. I am a vessel to be used. I pray that my legacy will be a way that people can see who is truly in control and in love with this world and us, God.
To put it on my gravestone though may sound a little arrogant. Can you imagine people looking down and seeing “Be still and know that I am God.” Don’t think it has the right reference, still it is the verse I cling to daily.
My favorite part of the entire Bible is Matt 14:22-33 which I know is more than one verse… But basically Peter asks Jesus to command him to come to him on the water, and Jesus says come, and Peter comes toward Jesus walking on the water but seeing the wind he becomes afraid and beginning to sink cries out “Lord save me!” and of course Jesus does. The question that keeps me centered everyday is WHAT BUSINESS DID PETER HAVE TAKING HIS EYES OFF JESUS AND LOOKING AT THE WIND? The wind for me being every fearful daily thing in my world. This story reminds me to keep my eyes on Jesus and I will not sink.
As a “know it all” in recovery, I must say “amen” to Jim and Jsuddreth! -Ben S.
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Both God’s prevenient grace and moment to moment grace in my life have me where I am. I used to be confident my work and my ability and my struggles would accomplish my goals. How wrong I was.