Dafydd M Job, Bangor

My waistline testifies to the fact that I love my food, and if I miss a meal it isn’t long before my stomach lets me know that something’s gone amiss. Over the years, I’ve also grown to love my Bible, and if I don’t get some time in it every day, I know that something is not right. I need to hear God speaking, and not so that I have stuff for my sermons (I’ve been a pastor for 38 years), but for my own benefit. So, choosing a few verses is a bit of a challenge; however, here goes.

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:9-10

The book of Psalms has become more and more precious in recent years, as I find there the whole range of human feelings as the Psalmists opened their hearts before God. Psalm 139 is especially dear as it reminds me that God is ever present and that He knows my every situation, my every thought, my fears and joys and on a desert island I cannot think of a more comforting truth to hold in my heart on a desert island.

And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" Isaiah 6:3

This chapter in Isaiah has been very significant to me. A few days before my conversion I heard a talk based on this chapter which impressed on me both the holiness of God, and the fact that this did not preclude sinners from knowing His grace. I did not understand much at the time, but within a couple of days the Lord of hosts became my own Lord. Some time later, when I was a candidate for the ministry, I had to preach before my home church and I chose to preach from this chapter. Being a very liberal church theologically it was an unusual message for them to hear but the response was positive and I’ve often returned to this passage to preach. An awareness of God’s holiness, but also the grace of the burning coal touching the lips of the prophet lead on inevitably to the response in verse 8, "Here am I! Send me."

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

Being on a desert island would inevitably bring to mind what I had left behind. This verse often brings me into a better perspective, remembering what Jesus left behind to bring us to glory. Jesus’ magnificent self-sacrifice for such unworthy recipients of grace is beyond our ability to fully appreciate or describe. Any loss of ours pales into insignificance in the light of Christ’s loss. My grandfather, who was very involved in the 1904/5 Welsh revival lost his wife and three children within three years at the beginning of the last century. Writing in his diary after his second infant daughter had died he wrote: "This has been the darkest week of my life. I have been forced into terrible depths! I called on God, "Spare her!" But that was not His will! I am like a vessel in the tempest - at the mercy of the waves. Etta [his wife] is away, and I must bury sweet Non without her mother seeing her! Yet He must have a glorious reason for all of this, or else I must throw my Bible overboard. But I'd rather drown with the Bible in my hand, than live without it.” It is the knowledge that Christ sacrificed everything, becoming poor for us, which persuades us that whatever befalls, we can trust that He is in control and cares for us.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

This verse has been a guiding light to me for several years, encouraging me day by day in the way I make decisions and behave. The mercies of God are always the great motivation as we consider what a privilege it is to serve the gracious King of Kings. The temptation on a desert island would be to think that, as no one else is there to see us, it doesn’t matter what I do or how I behave. But this verse would encourage me at the beginning of each day to present myself to God, so that He would guide my thoughts and activities. “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.”

Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10

If I could find a reason why I had been left alone on a desert island, I would imagine that it would be so that I could have more time to pray. The pattern given by our Lord is so helpful and challenging, it would guide me as I interceded for the world in its need. Maybe the petition, “your will be done,” would be most challenging, as it might mean that it was God’s will for me to be left un-rescued. Yet, if Jesus prayed this in Gethsemane, surely it would be right for me in my hour of need. Being reminded to pray would also encourage me as I could be confident that my loved ones would be praying for my deliverance also, but more wonderfully still, the Jesus would also be interceding for me at His Father’s right hand.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

Being stuck on a desert island with no one coming to rescue me will never be the end of my story. There will come a day, either within my lifetime or some other time, when Jesus will return on the clouds of the air. And wherever I will be, he will take me to be with him forever. Then the loneliness, depression, pain and feelings of abandonment will all be banished forever. There have been tears in this life of mine, and there will probably be more before it is over. But He will wipe away each one. Then I will know that it was all worthwhile. I will see how He looked after me in the best way possible. And it will be pure joy to revel in the truth of Rutherford’s words, “The Lamb is all the glory in Immanuel’s land!”

Which Christian from the past would you like to find on the island for company?

I could wish that I knew of a Christian boat builder from the past, but as I’m not allowed Noah there are so many that I would love to have a conversation with. In having to choose one I would possibly go for John Penry, a seventeenth century Welshman who pleaded for the gospel to be preached in Wales. He wrote and printed many tracts, and brought the ire of Archbishop Whitgift on his head for his criticism that the church did not take the evangelising of Wales seriously. He was suspected of involvement in the writing of the illegal Marprelate Tracts which attacked the episcopacy. He was eventually martyred for his work. We would probably build a printing press whilst on the island and by the time we were rescued we’d have written some good subversive Christian literature to be distributed when we got back home.

Which song would you take to the island?

There are many Welsh hymns that would vie for the position of the song I would take with me, but in choosing a song written in English, it has to be William Gadsby's masterpiece:

Immortal honours rest on Jesus’ head,

My God, my portion, and my living Bread;

In Him I live, upon Him cast my care;

He saves from death, destruction and despair.

He is my refuge in each deep distress,

The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness.

Through floods and flames He leads me safely on,

And daily makes His sovereign goodness known.

My every need He richly will supply,

Nor will His mercy ever let me die;

In Him there dwells a treasure all divine,

And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.

O that my soul could love and praise Him more,

His beauties trace, His majesty adore,

Live near His heart, upon His bosom lean,

Obey His voice and all His will esteem.