The Bible is more than just an advice manual or a self-help book. It holds words of encouragement for the weary and messages of comfort for the lonely. Even more than that, God’s Word is alive with power that changes who we are. Experiencing the Word’s transforming power in my life has made me passionate about Scripture memorization.
A Foundation
As a child, verses learned from the Bible formed the framework for my understanding of God and the world. I knew God created all things (Genesis 1:1), that He would look after me (Psalm 23:1), and that He wanted me to praise Him (Psalm 100:1). Much of who we are stems from how we think. My parents understood that reality, emphasizing the importance of memorization when I was young and giving me a foundation of truth.
As an adult, meditating on God’s Word has brought about change in my attitude, strength to alter my behaviour, and peace in the midst of chaos.
An Example From My Life
Although memorization has long been a pattern in my life, I was surprised anew last summer when God used a chapter on faith to increase my faith.
The chapter was Hebrews 11, often known as the roll call of faith. I had often admired the people in this list from Israel’s history. This catalogue of heroes begins each verse with the words by faith: “By faith Noah…”, “By faith Abraham…”, “By faith Moses…”, and then it shows how their living exemplified their faith.
It was after several months of working on memorizing it that I discovered God had been quietly transforming me.
Last summer, the company my husband works for was having deep financial difficulties and we were unsure whether or not it would survive. We wanted to remain loyal to the company, but that meant a long season of uncertainty. Three months had passed before the realization hit me that I was not as stressed as I normally would have been given the circumstances. Instead of doubt or worry, there was a confidence inside me that God would see us through this difficulty.
The profound truth is that by studying, learning, and reviewing the men and women of the Bible who exhibited faith, faith was created in my heart.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” This doesn’t mean assuming that God will work everything out the way I want Him to, but rather that God can be trusted to do what is best and to guide me through.
Daily studying and reviewing of this passage taught me to focus on God, not my surroundings. That was exactly what Moses did. “By faith he (Moses) left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27)
A Method
It must be understood that memorization of Scripture is not an easy task. Those who think it should be simple give up quickly, deciding they can’t memorize. It requires diligence. If hearing about the power of God’s Word has encouraged you to memorize, but you don’t know how, here are some things that have helped me:
Time Set aside time to memorize, about 15 minutes, at least five times a week. Allow yourself at least six weeks to learn a passage of 20-30 verses.
Choose longer passages Memorizing longer passages broadens your understanding by giving you the context of the verses.
Begin by reading Before memorizing, spend time reading over the passage, silently and out loud. This helps you remember because both your ears and eyes are taking in the information.
Memorizing When you are ready to memorize, read the whole chapter. Next review a smaller section again and again, until you can say it without looking. Then, finish off by reading the whole thing through again. Hopefully, you will find that by the time you near the end of the chapter, the flow of the words will be so familiar that it is easier to remember.
Keep on repeating To retain a passage once it is memorized, say it often. Use quiet times of highway driving, shovelling snow, or before you drift off to sleep to say the verses quietly in your head.
Memorizing God’s Word takes time, but like any spiritual discipline the reward of growing closer to God is beyond measure.
