Let's Memorize

I've tried memorizing scripture before and well, I'm just plain bad at memorizing. When I teach my kids verses over and over again, I can never remember how it starts. I always have to have the book in front of me. This, however, is not going to keep me from continuing to try. Many years ago I worked at the Bible League. This was my first attempt at trying to memorize scripture. Every week a group would get together to recite scripture that they had memorized and then pick a new verse to memorize the next week. But they would say all the verses from the previous weeks, after a while this just became too much for my brain!!!

Last year I attempted to memorize with my family. I would pick a verse each week and we would usually learn it at the dinner table. Of course, a couple weeks I forgot to pick a new verse at the beginning of the week and then the rest is history.

I am now again attempting to memorize scripture and I hope you will all join me. Each Sunday I am going to post a verse of the week and I am hoping you will all memorize it with me. Maybe as we go along I might pick a few verses at a time but for now we will keep it simple.

Why memorize scripture you ask? Well, I thought of a few reasons.

1~ write God's word on your heart
2~ teaching and disciplining your children
3~ witnessing to others
4~ use it to encourage others and even yourself at the same time
5~ use it in prayer as praise to our great God
6~ see your sin and also how you should live

Chuck Swindoll wrote, “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . . No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified” (Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], p. 61). Go here and read John Piper's reasons for memorizing scripture.

I hope and pray that together we can grow in God's word as we memorize His word together. I would love for you to email me or post a comment and let me know if you will be joining me. Let me know how it has or is changing your walk with God. Of course you don't need to let me know but if you do then I can encourage you and it will encourage me as we do this together. Also, if you have a verse that you have always wanted to memorize, please let me know and I can include it in one of the weeks.

So please come back every Sunday for the verse of the week and let's write God's word on our hearts, for out of it flow the issues of life! Proverbs 4:23