Bible Memorization

"Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you." Proverbs 22:17-19

I never went to Sunday School growing up. I don't have a history of scripture memory from childhood. But when Christ entered my life in college I learned this habit (or rather the Spirit led me to this habit) that was so very beautiful and transformative. I remember the first verses I memorized. I saw a friend with a bracelet on with the inscription "Phil 2:5-8". I had to know what it was. I looked it up and decided I needed to memorize it. Nobody told me too. I didn't even know the benefit of it at the time. I just needed these words in me.

"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" Colossians 3:16

I pondered these verses as I walked around campus. I chewed on them at the grocery store. I meditated on them as I walked to work and walked home. They became food for my soul.

"Man shall not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."  Matthew 4:4

This beautiful communion with the Lord resulting from scripture memory and meditation let me to add onto Philippians 2:5-8 and finish the section to verse 11. A couple years later a friend and I began memorizing the book of Philippians together.

The primary purpose of this post is not to try and convince you that you should memorize scripture as another box to check on your to-do list. In fact, it is possible to memorize scripture and never allow it to speak to your heart! But, if you allow His Words to dwell in you, meditating on them, this practice is life changing. I want you to know from my own experience the beauty, delight, and power of having the word of God in our hearts and on our tongues for communing with the Lord and fighting the enemy of our souls.

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17

 "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."  Psalms 119:11

 As I reflect on the lavish grace the Lord has poured on me as a result of this habit, it brings tears to my eyes. There is nothing better than this relationship with Him. He did not merely deliver us from His just wrath that we rightly deserve for our rebellion and sin against Him (though that is NO SMALL THING!).  He saved us for a sweet relationship that will satisfy our souls. We are reconciled to the Father (see 2 Cor 5:18). We now can have a relationship with the God over all. And He doesn't stop there. He gives us a mission. A beautiful, glorious, life changing mission. We are reconciled and given the ministry of reconciliation. We become Christ's ambassadors (see 2 Cor 5:18-20). We are given the mission to make disciples of Jesus of all nations teaching about God's rescue, this sweet relationship and Jesus' ways (see Matt 28:18-20). You see, we were called to be disciple makers....world changers....

 But we need the Word of God and we need it to dwell in us richly if we are to be effective in our mission. We must abide in Christ and in His Word, for apart from Him we can do nothing (see John 15:5).

Here is my challenge. If you have never memorized before: pick 1 verse. If you have memorized a verse, then increase it to a couple verses. If you have memorized a section, then challenge yourself with a chapter. If you have memorized a chapter, then work on a book of the Bible.

You might ask, where do I start?? It can be overwhelming. John Piper gives great advice:

“I don’t memorize verses that don’t help my soul.”

We know all scripture is profitable (see 2 Tim 3:16-17), so you cannot go wrong,  but it is worth taking note of what passages stir up your affections for Christ. What promises do you need to remind yourself of when temptations come?

Here are some references that might be of help to you if want a place to start:

 10 Gospel Verses to Keep Warm
 12 Gospel Passages to Soak in
Fighter Verse Program
Wayne Grudem's 53 Recommended Bible Passages to Memorize 

If you find you need help with learning how to memorize extended passages, check out this resource:
Practical Tips for Bible Memory

To help kids (and yourself!) memorize scripture through song, you must check out the Seeds Family Worship! We love them!

So, what are my goals for memorization right now?

• Finish Ephesians 1
• Finish  Psalm 103 with Brent
• Proverbs 17:14  Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
• Proverbs 19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
• Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

What are the scriptures YOU want to commit to memory?