David Robertson, Dundee

This has been an interesting exercise. In one sense impossible to do – in another, very helpful. It’s always good to reflect on God’s Word and how it has impacted on your life.

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day. Psalm 91:5

Psalm 91 was a great help to me in 2011 when I was on the Intensive Care Unit in hospital and very near to death. I did experience the ‘terrors of the night’. It was a dark and terrible time – but my wife laminated the whole of Psalm 91 and stuck it beside my hospital bed – and I frequently listened to the sung version of this psalm by Sons of Korah.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

This is a favourite verse of mine that helps me worship. If the realisation that Jesus loves you so much that he gave himself for you, does not move you to worship then you must be spiritually asleep – if not dead!

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. Job 19:25

This is a verse that would help in terms of loneliness. I doubt that there was a more lonely man than Job and yet in the midst of all the agony he had this certainty. Knowing that Christ will return is enough.

And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.” Acts 17:6

This is a verse that I often quote because it indicates the impact that Christianity had on the 1^st Century world and should have on the 21^st Century world. My belief is that we are so insipid and loveless that we have no radical impact today.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

These are verses that give real peace because it is an absolute guarantee from the God who cannot lie and who never fails to keep his promises!

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:7

This is a verse that keeps me from sin. Not because it conveys an image of God as the ultimate spy camera, but because it means that our gracious God is with me at all times – even on a desert island. It matters a little if other people see me sin – but it matters much more when God does.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:29

This is a verse that changed my mind in terms of how I thought about God and salvation. My minister at the time was preaching through Romans and his exposition of this passage included: “God predestines us to Heaven, the Devil predestines us to Hell, and we have the choice”. It was neat but even I as a young Christian could see that it was not what the passage said. So I investigated and became absolutely convinced of the sovereignty of God – a doctrine that has been a great comfort to me in my life and a great incentive and encouragement in evangelism.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

I would take Augustine of Hippo – because by the time we had discussed The City of God, Confessions and all his other works, we would have long been rescued or else eternity would have arrived!

Which song would you take to the island?

I would take a book of songs – the five books of the Psalms. But if I had to choose one it would be Psalm 62 (the Keyes/Townend) version; My Soul Finds Rest in God Alone. It’s a song I would sing every day! And because there is no one else there on the island (except Augustine) no one could complain about my singing voice!