“Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting, ‘Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!'” Mark 11:9 NLT

The Center

I came across some notes that I had taken in church a few years ago on Psalm 117-119. It started me on a journey.

Psalm 117 is the shortest book in the Bible. Just two verses: a praise psalm: “Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!”

Psalm 119 is the longest book in the Bible at 176 verses. This is a psalm dedicated to God’s Word. All but two of the verses declare something about God’s Word.

Between them is Psalm 118, which holds the center verse of the Bible, verse 8: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8).

The central theme of the Bible, as Pastor Bryan has taught on multiple occasions, is “Trust God.” This theme is woven from Genesis to Revelation. Women such as Ruth, Esther, Rahab, Elizabeth and Mary all trusted God to save them and/or to keep His promises.

Further down in Psalm 118, verses 20-27, we find the prophetic Center, Jesus: “This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes… Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD…” (Psalm 118:19-27).

 Contained within three of the 1,189 chapters of the Bible is the basis for living a prosperous life: Praise the Lord, trust in the Lord, immerse yourself in the Word of the Lord, and Jesus is Lord!

In looking at this theme further, the center verse of the Old Testament is: “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17). God fights our battles. He is the Victor in our lives.

The center verse of the New Testament is: “Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there” (Acts 17:17). Wherever Paul went on the mission field, he daily spread the gospel. As we praise the Lord, trust in the Lord and delve into the Word, we can have confidence that the He is the Victor in our lives. As we live with Jesus at the center of our lives, our mission is to daily share this Good News with others.

Dear Lord, thank You for being the very center of who we are. May we be found praising You, trusting You, and studying Your Word. May we let You be the Victor in our lives, give You all the glory, and daily spread the glorious message of Your Son Jesus in whatever mission field You have set us in. Amen.