What are your favourite Bible verses? Or how about your all-time favourite? Is it Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’?”

Or is it Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”?

Or perhaps it’s Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”?

If it’s any of these, you’re in good company. These were the top three verses in Singapore, according to a recent report by Christianity Today, “Singapore’s Top 10 Bible Verses”, based on a list from YouVersion. The article goes on to analyse what the verses might reflect about Singaporeans’ concerns and state of faith.

What’s really interesting about some of these 10 verses, however, is that they also feature in top 10 lists of misquoted verses. Google “top misquoted Bible verses”, and Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 are almost always featured. So . . . two of our nation’s favourite verses are often misquoted.

This might beg the question: Have some (or perhaps even many) of us misunderstood the context or import of these verses in God’s Word?

To be sure, as some of the Bible teachers were quoted as observing in the Christianity Today article, the popularity of these verses reflects some of our major common concerns in Singapore: the hope or faith that God will bless us, the belief that all things will turn out well for us, and a general fear of what life throws at us.

That’s perfectly understandable, given the myriad challenges we face here. Looking to God for strength and comfort is a natural response, as is hoping that He will work things out for our benefit.

Knowing the actual context of verses like Jeremiah 29:11 (the promise of salvation was originally specifically meant for the Israelites who had to go through exile first) and Romans 8:28 (God is changing us to be like His Son, for that is His main purpose for us), however, might raise some concerns.

Are our expectations of God realistic or even theologically correct? Might we be expecting more of Him than He promised us? Do we understand God’s aims and purposes for us correctly? Is our relationship with Him based on what we can get from Him? And, are we reading enough of God’s Word with the right understanding of its context? Or are we pulling verses out of context and over-personalising them, assuming that they can apply to ourselves in a good way?

It’s worth asking ourselves some of these questions, for they might explain why our prayers sometimes don’t seem to elicit the response we hope from God, or why things just don’t seem to be working out the way we would imagine for a child of God.

To be sure, we don’t need to be too harsh on ourselves. Misquoting verses and misunderstanding God and His purposes are all part of our journey of maturity in faith. Our God doesn’t expects us to be perfect from the get-go; that’s precisely why His Holy Spirit is working in us daily, patiently and persistently, to make us more Christlike (see Romans 8:28!), and to bring us to a fuller maturity and understanding of God and His Word.

He values our simple faith in Him, even if it might sometimes be based on a shaky understanding. And He will help us mature in this understanding, slowly but surely, if we allow Him to.

We also need to play our part to read and study His Word diligently, not just looking out for what we can get in terms of blessings and benefits, but also focusing on what the Bible really says about God and His ways. (For a start, check out this booklet, The Gospels, in our Understanding the Bible series.)

Then, perhaps, we will one day be able to fully appreciate the wonder and the depth of our favourite Bible verses, and draw even more strength and comfort from them.

Lord, give me a new hunger for Your Word, that I may seek to read and study it diligently with a mind and heart that is completely open to Your teaching. Help me to appreciate and understand Your Word as You mean it, that I may mature in my understanding of You and Your ways.