Wanted: Your “Goosebump” Verse

You know those verses that just resonate with you? They make you hit your knees with gratitude, or tear up because of how much your loved, or ache with gratitude. I know whenever I’m in Ephesians and I get to chapter 3, I start getting giddy, knowing that I’m getting close to 3:14-19.  When I hear Jeremiah 29:11, I can’t wait for 29:13. And don’t even get me started on Romans. There are just some passages that give me goosebumps.

You know those verses that just resonate with you? They make you hit your knees with gratitude, or tear up because of how much your loved, or ache with gratitude. I know whenever I’m in Ephesians and I get to chapter 3, I start getting giddy, knowing that I’m getting close to 3:14-19.  When I hear Jeremiah 29:11, I can’t wait for 29:13. And don’t even get me started on Romans. There are just some passages that give me goosebumps.

That’s why the other day, when I was in the book of Daniel, I started grinning half way through the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. You remember them (although cartoon fans might now think of them as various vegetables).  They were the three friends of Daniel who were faithful to God even in the courts of a foreign king. They’d served the king well, but jealous rivals set them up.  

Right about here in the story, I always hunker down into the plot. Bad guys, betrayal, broccoli—this is great stuff.  I start anticipating “my” passage like cruise ship passengers waiting for the dessert buffet. And then it speeds up.  Lots of  “Oh Kings” and some “just do its” and now my stomach has butterflies because here it comes—wham! The guys basically say, “God can save us if He wants. But,” (and here’s the good part) “even if he doesn’t do what we want him to, we still worship him, not you.”

Wow. Gets me every time. I love seeing the strength of their faith. It’s totally independent from getting what they want. How different is that from how we sometimes function! We don’t get what we want, so we doubt God presence or love. He doesn’t do what we prayed for, so we throw a tantrum. We try to use our “faith” or “obedience” as currency to buy God’s blessings, as if Christianity was a transactional religion. You don’t have to look far to find people who are mad at God because he didn’t do something he never said he’d do.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego put no requirements on God. They didn’t trade their obedience for God’s blessing. They didn’t make it conditional on him meeting their expectations. It’s a lesson that I want to remember daily. It resonates with me.

So here’s what I want to know: does anybody else out there have a story, or a verse or a passage that gives them butterflies? I’d love to hear which ones you cling to and how they impact you. I’ll be waiting (and chewing—I have a sudden craving for broccoli…)