I don’t have an excellent memory or attention span, so I never really thought I could remember large portions of Scripture. I was content with picking up verses here and there as I studied, read, or listened to sermons. And I thought it was pretty cool if the pastor happened to be reading through a passage and I could follow along from memory every few verses or so.
Fast forward a few years later, when our pastor challenged our church to memorize the entire book of 1 Timothy. I found a little guide on extended Scripture memorization, and a group of us decided to take one chapter each and commit it to memory. This gave me confidence that I could do more, so I decided to work slowly toward memorizing a whole book of the Bible. Again, our pastor challenged the congregation to memorize it as he preached through short sections each week.
I decided to memorize one verse each day. I broke the verse down into two or three parts, focused on learning shorter sections, and then put the whole verse together. Once I had a few verses memorized, I worked on understanding what I’d read by following the argument of the author or the storyline presented. That’s when I saw how memorization and meditation work together.
Memorization is the ability to recall what you’ve read verbatim, so I had to practice a lot! I’d listen to a verse on audio while brushing my teeth or taking a shower or folding laundry, while waiting in the carpool line or shopping. I filled my downtime with the Word of God. Eventually, it became a sweet habit, and I found myself rehearsing God’s Word throughout the day.
Meditation is an ongoing conversation between the Holy Spirit and yourself about what you’re learning in God’s Word. In this way, you learn to hide His Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11) and discover meaningful ways to apply it to your life. Through the practice of meditation, I found myself starting to incorporate verses of Scripture into my prayer life. Soon, I found that I had God’s Word ready to encourage a friend. When I couldn’t sleep at night, I would rehearse my verses and fall asleep with God’s Word on my lips.
I have experienced the truth of Deuteronomy 6:6 that says, “These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.” Even in more anxious times—through the whirring of the MRI scanner or when counting down as the anesthesia put me to sleep—God’s Word came to mind, comforting me. God’s Word, memorized over days and weeks and months, had made its way from my eyes and ears and mouth to my heart. And out of the abundance of what was in my heart, my mouth began to continually speak the words of life and truth to myself and to others (Matthew 12:34).
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132 thoughts on "Meditation & Memorization"
I need to learn to meditate on Gods word.
I would love to meditate more on Gods word.
I love this. I never thought of meditation like that- I guess I meditate a lot then!
I’m struggling with this now. Thank you for sharing! ❤️
This is so encouraging. Your delight is truly in God’s Word! We pray for the same for us!
Great reading and commentary!
This has so been encouraging and challenging. Thankful for practical application; wanting to work on this!
So good. I want to work harder at memorizing bigger parts of scripture.
Let me not be satisfied with just a memorized verse here or there!
Tara, this is an area I have really never focused on, as an adult anyway. But I love how comforting the author from today’s study made it sound. And I want that on going dialogue with God & the Holy Spirit that it would create!
Susan, this is a great idea! I’m going to try this!
This is an area I’ve needed to work on + these verses just seemed to bind to my heart! I love how using memorizations in prayer can be so comforting, if we know His word don’t we also know Him better? Why wouldn’t I want that? Such a great message on this discipline.
LYNDI…this is so good!
I was encouraged to memorize psalm 27 last summer with a group of ladies and it was life changing. I found myself reciting it in my head while I was in the shower, falling asleep at night, etc.
You can take a small book of the Bible (less daunting) and make a note book by copying scripture. Leave room on the side for questions, comments, or jotting down what God puts on your heart or a new interpretation you find. You can use colored pencils, highlighting scripture you want to memorize. Look at those highlights often. Good luck. I struggle with memorization and am grateful to have little books to look over year after year.
I’m currently working on memorizing Romans 6:1-14 for a class at seminary. Through repetition deeper meaning and understanding unfolds. I thought it was a daunting task at first but but by bit – bite sized pieces – I began to recite it in the car, before falling asleep, while taking a walk…and it has become my way of being. It is a beautiful discipline!
Beautiful
Lauren, I love that you want to start somewhere – and my biggest encouragement is to START! I like reading the SRT studies that there is Bible memory built in on the Sunday lessons so you don’t have to pick and choose.
You’re right though that context is important. Here are a few other suggestions to maybe help:
-You could maybe start with a verse you often go to or “know” and then start to memorize verses around it – ex: John 3:16, then add 3:17. Then 3:18… then eventually back up to the beginning of the chapter, etc. And you get to take time to study the context of it, too when you do that!
– Or, if you’re looking to memorize a book, choose a shorter book that you love to read and are often convicted/ encouraged by and start at chapter 1 verse 1 and take it bit by bit. That’s helpful because you often get author and context in the introductions.
-Memorize a Psalm? Psalm 1 is a good one!
As an aside, a good tool is the Verses Project – it sets verses to music. Also, I love using the Dwell app to listen to scripture I want to mediate on or memorize.
Hope that helps you, Lauren. I said a prayer tonight that the Lord would direct you in this. ♡
Any suggestions for how to decide WHAT to memorize? It feels overwhelming or random to choose something blindly, as I don’t know much about context of the individual scriptures.
Memorizing is huge! Right now I’m memorizing the new city catechism with my kids and it is great to recall those truths and I pray that it will stay in them too- that they will know the truths of the faith as they grow up in an insane world where right is wrong and wrong is right.
Thanks for the encouragement. I have never tried to memorize verses. It will definitely be a new experience for me
Just like the verse His delight is in the Lords instruction I truly do delight in how the Word resonates in my heart. I look forward for the opportunity to talk about what I’ve been meditating on.
I love this so much! Kristie who wrote the devotional was on their Psalm 119 podcast a few months ago, and she inspired me to memorize Psalm 119 (176 verses). I’m over half way through and can declare that this is changing the way I think and go about my day. Memorizing scripture has been a beautiful and essential addition to my daily rhythms.
I’ve always struggled with memorizing the Bible but this gives me some hope and motivation to start fresh and keep trying!
Thank you for the encouragement. I’ve never been great at memorizing but I’m feeling encouraged and excited!
I am really excited to put this into practice! I was behind on this days reading but I’m so glad I went back to read it. I’m excited to try this in my own life. I’ve been looking for some direction in this area
I really was blessed to memorize Titus and James, learning 1-3 verses every few days
Meditation is an ongoing conversation with the Holy Spirit about what you are learning in God’s word – another simple yet beautiful truth! God help me surround myself with your word; help me soak in all that you desire to show me; help me read, rehearse and meditate in your truth!
What an encouraging devotional. I love how she says, “God’s Word, memorized over days and weeks and months, had made its way from my eyes and ears and mouth to my heart. And out of the abundance of what was in my heart, my mouth began to continually speak the words of life and truth to myself and to others.” This right here…this is so good! I want to get to this point. I love how memorizing and meditating God’s Word coincide and become almost one together. I am so encouraged now about memorizing God’s Word.
I want the Living Word of God in my heart, I hope I can get there, thank you for this encouragement ❤️
Been thinking a lot about how God is causing the church to go back to the foundations of our faith life, and to remember His Word in recent times. In a world of so many voices, with the rise of “Liberal Theology” and the popularity of “Christian Humanitarianism” it’s become even more imperative to have God’s Word written on our hearts! I’ve felt stirred in my Spirit to memorise Scripture for a while, but it’s felt like an insurmountable task, however this devotional has been an answer to that prayer! Amen God, help me to wear Your Word around my neck, and have it carved on my heart! ❤️
This devotional encouraged me to buy scripture memory cards to place on my nightstand to memorize a different verse each week.
This devotion is answer to prayer. Thank you.
I’ve been a Christian for years but have rarely set my heart to memorization. Even with a strong pull towards meditating with God I start with referencing the Bible — but how beautiful would it be to sit down with His word already overflowing in my mind?!
Meditation is an ongoing conversation between me and the Holy Spirit about what I am reading in Gods Word. I love that thought!
Yes! The Verse Locker app is SO helpful, and they just recently released the app for iPhone too! It’s how I’ve been doing all of my memorization for Awana. (I’m doing it as an adult).
Lord i thank you!
The Verse Locker app (for Android phones) has helped me a ton with my scripture memorization this year! It’s a great way to have all the verses you’re learning handy for practicing whenever you have time (and today’s devo was a great challenge for me to do that more often!)
Thank you for this inspiring devotion and reminder of how important it is to have God’s Word in out hearts. It helps us to have a better understanding of His Word, and always have it close to us to be encouraged and to encourage others. With God’s help, I may try to to memorize 1 Timothy.
I am working on scripture memorization, but this reminded me to be more intentional about it.
I highly recommend an app called Remember Me. It’s free for Android. It gives lots of ways of customizing the verses, games to play with the words, reads them to you. Check it out. I love it!
Diane, I’ve been using Remember Me for years. It was the thing that made Scripture memorization a reality for me. The puzzles made it so much easier – and more fun!
Thank you so much for sharing this! My son is 2.5 as well. I look forward to listening to this album with him.
Hunter Beless from the Joirneywomen podcast has a lot of helpful advice on her instagram about large portion scripture memory if anyone is interested
Scripture memorization got me through running a full marathon with my husband! It also was such a time of closeness with the Lord!!
They are also on shereadstruth.com
Lord i thank you
I like writing out my favorite Bible verses, and taping them to the side of my bedside table! It’s the first thing I see when I wake up each morning, and that has really helped with memorization!
I love this today. It was laid on my heart at the end of last year that I should learn prayer meditation and weave it into the monotonous tasks of life as a human, as the author mentioned, doing laundry, brushing my teeth or working the grocery list at the store. I appreciated the description of meditation as a continuous conversation with the Holy Spirit as it relates to the Word and look forward to reminding myself of that as to continue this journey.
I love Lullaby Scriptures. It helped me through a severe time of anxiety and I still sing the scriptures today.
While I have not memorized super long passages of scripture, a few years ago I challenged myself to complete my Awana Citation award as an adult. I had finished 2 books as a child/teen, then I found one I had almost completed.
Since 2018, I have completed the rest of the one I found, 6 full books, I will complete my 7th book this week, and will complete the final book I need by April. Combined with the 2 I completed as a child/teen, that will be the 10 books I need. A high school senior wanted me to finish with her class, which I think is supper sweet. In addition to the scripture memory, I have read almost the entire Bible since 2018. (some, again, was completed as a child/teen) Through this, I have rediscovered a love for scripture memory, and will continue to challenge myself to memorize. My church has had additional longer passages (10 to 20 verses) that the kids and leaders can do, and I intend to continue using these. I say that not for praise, but to encourage. Especially if you have a child/teen in Awana, going through the books along with them can be a great way to get into scripture memorization, if you don’t feel you can memorize long passages.
This is so on time for me. I ask God daily to have me the words to comfort and encourage those I come in contact with daily. He doesn’t have to give me the words because they are already here. I just need to get them in my heart from where God’s words will flow freely.
I did an internship at my local church and we had required scripture we had to recite by memory and that season of life I was so close to God and always, always thinking and meditating on His word. Writing helps me remember things so that is how I i really focus on memorizing. When I was pregnant I was gifted Lullaby Scriptures that I have listened to with my son for 2.5 years now, every night at bedtime. It’s just scripture sung with soft piano/lullaby music and I absolutely love it and highly recommend it. “Hidden in My Heart: A Lullaby Journey Through Scripture”. It’s beautiful, I remember scripture & now my 2.5 year old sings scripture while falling asleep!
Thanks for sharing this. I cant wait to use it for bedtime for my kiddies!!! X
I’ve been speaking Scripture over my son since he was born. At 4 now, he recites 2 Timothy 1:7 and Proverbs 3:24 with me before I leave his room at bedtime. No matter what our day is like I want the last words he here’s from me each night to be Scripture.
Scripture memorization is a spiritual discipline I have neglected as well. I have a stack of notecards from about 15 years ago with a different scripture written on each. And I used to be so good about reviewing those notecards! I have noticed that it is much harder now to memorize/remember things than it was 15 years ago. But making the commitment to pull those notecards out and start memorizing and meditating on them again!
This is so powerful and deep. Thank you for sharing the fact that your pastor challenged you to memorize 1 Timothy. And it is not a short book. I have never been challenged to that large scale of memorizing before, though now that I think about it, back in school days I used to memorize lessons because it is for exams, thesis and it is a must, either fail or pass. Now I see that in Scriptures, if we also consider it an “Absolute Must” to keep God’s Word in our memory and heart, we will have the discipline and commitment to memorize. Imagine the tremendous harvest God’s Word brings (healing, love, joy peace, no more baggage of past hurts or condemnation, etc.). Furthermore, It will bring so much power to our words as we quote Scriptures, as we speak His words and the tongue has power of life and death. I am so thankful. I will try to memorize 1 Timothy as well.
I would appreciate if any other ladies have suggestions on their favorite books of the Bible to memorize, I’d love to hear various inputs from you all. God bless you my precious sisters of SRT.
Amen. Truly what is in your heart is what comes out of your mouth let my words be truth hope and love.
It so life giving to hide Gods word in our hearts, many a time when I have been in need it just comes to mind.
I find I have to bee in His word every day
In the book they have a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Just as you do not analyze the words of someone you love, but accept them as they are said to you, accept the Word of Scripture and ponder it in your heart, as Mary did. That is all. That is meditation.” When I read this I thought WOW! that says it all. Yes, Kristie has a lot of good points and advise in her devotion but to me Dietrich’s quote really says it all.
Have a blessed day sisters.
If I want to become who God wants me to be, I need to memorize and mediate on his word. I pray the Lord would give me the strength, desire, and determination to do this.
I was looking at that!!! Great idea!!
I just subscribed to DwellDifferently last night. Can’t wait to get the first shipment!
I love the idea of “rehearsing God’s word throughout the day.”
I love the idea of it being meditative.
Wow. When I started reading today’s scripture and looking over things, I thought there was NO WAY I was going to be able to start memorizing scripture at 40. My brain just doesn’t work the way it once did.
But after the devotion, I changed my mind. What I *can* do is meditate and pray. If I meditate and ask God to help me learn these verses and even passages, nothing is impossible for Him, and nothing is impossible for me.
Thank you for this amazing message today. I have been enlightened every single day of this study and I am loving every minute of it – and I’m also praising Him for it, too.
Memorization and meditation intertwine so beautifully together.
This fall our church started a discipleship series that incorporated verse memorization and meditation. The fourth week we were to memorize Philippians 4:8, a lengthy verse with a list! (In HCSV: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, moral excellence, praise).
It was challenging enough to memorize the list, but then by repeating it we started to ask ourselves, what IS true, honorable, just, pure, etc.? We started looking for those qualities in our every day lives. Then we asked ourselves, “Are my thoughts true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, etc.?” From there we started looking for ways to make our conversations true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, of moral excellence and with praise.
It completely changed the way we thought, went about our day, and interacted with others! And the key to this was the meditation, for the verse ends with “…dwell on these things”.
From the focus of memorizing the right words in the right order to really grasping what those words mean and how to seek and live them. There is the beauty in memorization and meditation.
That’s exactly where I am too, Karen!
I recently subscribed to DwellDifferently in order to memorize some Scripture. It’s brilliant! Only $8/month and they have a new verse each month. They create a logo for each one using the first letter of each word in the Scripture. They send temporary tattoos with the logo, a key chain card with that month’s logo & scripture, and a postcard size card to put wherever you need. I love it, and my kids are even learning Scripture from reading it on my wrist. Just thought I’d share for anyone who wants to check it out. ❤️
This was so encouraging and exactly what I needed to hear today. Where would you suggest starting if I wanted to star memorizing a chunk and not just a simple verse?
Took time to meditate and allow my memory to feed back the passages I had just read from today. :) truly grateful for the Word of God. Even the echo of His Words is liberating satisfaction to me.
I was relieved when you confessed to neglecting Scripture memorization b/c I have too. I accept the challenge and would like to offer encouragement to you. Our old brains can do this! Would you, please, select a passage to memorize together? I would appreciate connecting with you and other sisters to our committing Scripture to memory. ♥️
I can relate so much to the first paragraph of this. I have always struggled to memorize scripture and don’t feel that I’m “good” at it, so then I just don’t do it. I love what you said about HOW mediation and memorization intertwine in your life. That’s super encouraging to me and spurs me on to start!
Your not alone! I’m right there with you!
So hard for me! I feel like I have the worst memory!! There are times that a verse (not verbatim but more the gist of it) will come to mind, but unfortunately I feel like I often cannot recall the reference to the book, chapter, etc. Definitely an area that I need to grow in this year! Even if I can just memorize a verse a month!!
Ah, what a motivation to finish memoring psalm 145 – as a way to praise God with words from His word…and well, fell off. Here’s to getting it done!!!
This morning before my devotions; I literally asked the Lord to help me with scripture & reading this devotion was an answered prayer. ❤️
His Word will not return void ❤️
So encouraged to see that I’m not alone in my struggle with meditation and memorization. Sometimes these comment sections feel like the space where we can be freed from shame and expectations of perfection. I am so grateful for all of the tips shared here! I wrote like 10 of them in my study book. I plan to do the 1 Timothy study plan in my SRT Bible in the coming week and, thanks to Kristie’s inspiration, I think I want to work on memorizing as much as I can! I have a friend who keeps post-its of scripture in places around her home where she pauses frequently (e.g. fridge, bathroom mirror, etc). I have always loved that and want to do more of that. A few SRT studies ago there was a whole stack of scripture cards included in the subscription box and I still have a few of them up around our home. Filling our homes with scripture can also begin to help us fill our hearts and minds.
Scripture memorization is something I’ve had difficulty with in the past. However, I have read aloud the Lord’s Prayer throughout the day and I have it down. So I know I am capable of memorizing longer versus. Constant practice and I’m glad that I recall more each time I read them.
I’ve been working on memorizing Psalm 145. One method I read about I’m using is to read a verse outloud 10 times thinking about each word, then write it from memory and then each time you add a new verse, you go through the previously learned ones first. I’m currently stuck on v1-6, but today’s reading inspires me to get back into it. Yesterday a pastor said to use the SOAP method for meditation. Meditate on a Scripture, Observation-what does this say to me. Application-How do I respond, Prayer-what do I need to ask God in response. I have noticed when I go through sleepless nights or hard times, the Holy Spirit brings the verses I have memorized over the years to my mind. God is so good!
While scripture memorization doesn’t come easy, it is of great benefit. During challenging times, then scripture comes to mind. God uses our efforts of holding onto his word in our mind and heart. The “Bible Memory App” helps. I also like the “Dwell” app for listening to scripture when I walk or drive. After reading many of your comments I think I am going to try a whole chapter again for this year. This old brain needs time and repetition, but this will be good.
It’s been a long time since I have really worked in memorizing Scripture. I used to do it all the time, since I first became a believer, as a teen, as a young mom, as a preschool teacher, as training before becoming an elders wife and a pastor’s wife, and a grandma. It became harder and I became lazier. I love that today memorizing is with meditating on God’s Word and putting it in my heart. I can do this again and will seek God to hide His Word in my heart so that it will come to mind easily and first when needed.
The book, “His Word in my Heart “ by Janet Pope helped me in memorizing the book of Philippians several years ago. It does take a lot of practice and I found that memorizing helped keep my thoughts God focused and the words really came alive for me as I repeated verses and chapters over and over.
Check out episode 35 of SRT podcast with Kristie Anyabwile – they discuss scripture memorization and give lots of tips!!!
I use the app Bible Memory. It’s very good. I’ve used it for a couple of years and it helps me keep verses fresh.
I’m so thankful for all the Scripture memorization we had to do in our Christian school growing up! What seemed like just more homework at the time, has been a treasure ever since!! I have to work on refining and keep committing more verses to memory…I love how they combined meditation in with memorization today too. It truly does make such a difference!
This was especially relevant because 1) I have an awful memory and 2) I’m undergoing anesthesia for a colonoscopy in a couple of days. Thank you God for today’s reading – I pray you continue to grow my heart (and others’ hearts) closer to you!
Churchmouse, you said it so well! I too need to move from “paraphrasing to precision”. Angie, your summation is excellent. This devotional is very motivating, no shaming, just motivating. I can & will do better! Thank you SRT for the challenge. I love the connection between meditation & memorization.
This was a great reminder to focus on memorizing scripture. I have seen a method (forgot from who) but on IG where you write the first letter of each word in the verse on a flash card to help you memorize. I am going to try it
One time the writer/or the study mentioned using the picture with verse as your screen saver for the week and to memorize it each time you looked at it! I like that! I am also really bad at memorization and meditation. Even after years of this daily study, I still wouldn’t be able to quote a verse precisely and its address! I find that so sad! I have to do better for the sake of having God’s word flowing through me!
This devo is powerful.
For memorizing small passages, I rewrite them at the bottom of my page in every journal before writing anything else.
I respect actors for their commitment to learning lines and roles. Memorizing their lines is one step to bringing a story to life. Memorizing scripture can be our step to bring God in our lives to give us life. Our director, our writer, our producer, our God! and you’re our fellow co-workers! :)
I love the way you expressed that Tiffany!
❤️❤️❤️
I think for many of us, our minds are very prone to wandering. I often have to take my thoughts captive and think about what I’m thinking about. It seems so easy and natural to meditate on things that are not good for our hearts and souls, but yet it’s difficult to meditate on the word of God; words given to us in order for us to be in close relationship with Him. I wonder why it’s like this?
I struggle with memorizing verses, I can remember songs but not scriptures. Thanks for the suggestion of the verse app, think I will try it.
Thank you for this post Katie! I had never heard of Seeds Family Worship and listening to music helps me with memorization as well.
I’m in for Psalm 91! I love knowing that other people are doing this one, too.
Good morning I take back to the old school way to memorize and that is to write on flash cards and post them around the house and car then recite them every time I put my eyes on it.
I really loved Kristie’s statement in the devotional “When I can’t sleep at night, I can rehearse Scripture and fall asleep with God’s Word on my lips.” Last night I struggled to fall asleep because I got a call from my doctor that some test results came back abnormal so I need to go for further testing. My anxiety came with full force last night and I just continued to pray until I eventually fell asleep. Although I grew up memorizing Scripture throughout grade school, I want to be able to call on Scripture in those moments of late night anxiety to comfort me. I think I’m going to follow whoever memorized Psalm 91 and try to start memorizing it! Psalm 91:1 says “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Amen <3
This is a discipline that I have struggled with for much of my life, despite going to a Christian school and camp for most of my adolescent years. Thank you for explaining how memorization and meditation work together to deepen our understanding of God’s character through this Word. I am encouraged to keep practicing :)
One of the best ways for me to memorize Scripture is through song. I found Seeds Family Worship a few years ago. While they only focus on a verse or two in each song, I find myself singing those verses as I read them in Scripture! Many of them have helped refocus my thoughts as life stresses press in. And working on the same verses as a family or small group works wonders!
I like Church mouse’s comment about “moving from paraphrasing to precision.” I am in that group and I know that part of the reason for that is hearing/studying a verse in various translations. I, too, will try to stick with one translation for the purpose of memorization. Thanks, Kristie!!!
What a beautiful reflection!
This really spoke to me and encourages me that I can memorize scripture even through distractions. It gives me hope and joy to know what I can gain from memorizing scripture.
Has anyone ever noticed that the disciplines that seem to be the most powerful are also the ones we all post over and again “I really should.. I’ve always struggled with… I’ve never been very good at…” I believe prayer and scripture memory are 2 of the utmost powerful weapons we have against the enemy and yet they are the two i get the laziest about. I don’t find that to be a coincidence…
Memorizing with a partner has always been the most successful plan for me… First, the accountability of it, but also you start to fine-tune your own ear when listening to your friend recite and it helps you to memorize more efficiently as well. Research has proven over and again that those who memorize on a regular basis have better memory overall…there’s a plus!!! :) I am making a commitment here and now, consistent devotion to scripture memory. I so NEED this on my heart and mind…
I attended a Christian school growing up and memorizing verses was part of our weekly assignments. It’s amazing how I can still recall so many of them now as an adult. I was reminded of that this morning during the study. I need to get back into doing this as well and I love the idea of memorizing a book or a passage!
Thanks Becca!
Scripture memorization & meditation is definitely a discipline I have not practiced very often. My heart would love to have a book of the Bible memorized… but my flesh doesn’t want to do the work of even memorizing one verse! This is a good test for me to think about my real attitude towards learning & abiding in God’s Word.
,I struggle with memorizing scripture and desperately need help
❤️
I struggle with memorizing the Bible, but at the beginning of 2020 I decided to memorized Psalm 91. I told a good friend how I was struggling to memorize Psalm 91. Her reply was “maybe God wants you to spend some time in Psalm 91.” Yes, I believe he wanted me right there through a pandemic, my own health issues, family health issues, and our country’s many problems this year. This year Psalm 91 has brought me such comfort and rest. Thank you Jesus for my struggle in memorizing. It made me slow down and dig deep into your Word.
So powerful! I leaned away from memorization because of many reasons. Mostly I didn’t want to just repeat it I want to know it. But I see a connection now. Memorization can help you know God better. I’m going to try it!!
It’s so powerful to have God’s word in our hearts, ready throughout the day!!
Memorization has always been a challenge for me. I have memorized verses and even passages. As a child it was always a goal at VBS and camp, but they seemed to be dedicated to short term memory. Much like ChurchMouse I can paraphrase a great deal, but word for word can get jumbled up. I need strength for this challenge. Not just for the temporary, but for the long haul.
Gods word is also in hymns and contemporary songs. Sometimes it’s easier to memorize if it’s set to music! I find when I sing some of these songs God’s spirit lifts me up!
There is a great app for Scripture memorization called “Verses”!
The devil waited 40 days to test Jesus. At first I wondered if Jesus would have worried during his 40 day wait about when the devil would come. Then I realized, no…Jesus would have used the time to meditate on the Word of God preparing his heart and mind. When he did arrive, the devil began with physical temptation, food. He said, “IF” you are the Son of God make this stone bread. Jesus did not take the bait. He waited on his Fathers provision and did not do it himself. He did not need to prove to the devil who he is. He also did not need to make the stone, bread…Jesus trusted his Father for his needs. The 2nd temptation also started with, “IF” you are the Son of God…but this time the devil used verses from Psalm 91 to try to trick Jesus. Prove who you are and that God’s word is true. But, Jesus was not tricked. He would not test his Father, and no proof was needed for what He KNEW was true. Finally, the devil showed him all the world’s splendor and offered it to Jesus if He would worship him. When I read that I thought of Show and Tell in my classroom. The children bring in something important to them and have the opportunity to show it, and tell about it. I/we always “oow and aah,” and make nice comments. In my adult heart, I know what they share has no true value. In a short time, relatively speaking, they will move on to something else. Things do not hold their devotion long. I imagine Jesus thinking in his temptation: You offer me trinkets, something that does not truly matter…do you realize I know what heaven is like? Do you really think that will work? Stuff instead of honoring my Dad? No way! I am my Father’s Son. Jesus ordered him away, and the devil had to go. Then God’s angels came and administered to the God’s Son, our Savior and Lord.
I want to be like Jesus. Yep, that is my take away. Simple, I know. Always true. I want to spend time in preparation through His Word and meditation with Him. I want to trust my Father for the physical, and not try to do it on my own. I want faith and trust so secure in my Father that I would not even consider testing Him. No matter what is laid before me, I pray, as my Father’s daughter, I will worship only Him.
Thank you Lord for loving me where I am while continually, patiently, teaching me and drawing me closer to You. Thank you that this isn’t something just for me but that everyone of us is precious in your sight. May we soak in your Word and your Ways and honor you always. Amen.
I admit that memorization is the hardest for me and something that I usually avoid because I’m lazy . Time to change!
Starting small is my goal then gradually working my way through whole chapters. Memorizing a whole book of the Bible never even crossed my mind before but how powerful it would be to have the word of God with me at all times!!
Thank you, Kristie!
I Googled “guide extended scripture memorization”, and the first thing that came up was a PDF of a short book on the topic. I’m not sure if it’s the one she mentions in the devo, but it could be helpful!
Our six year old granddaughter asked me if I had memorized the account of Jesus’ birth from the book of Luke. I told her I hadn’t. She then recited the entire passage. She told me the reason she could memorize it and I could not was because she has “a fresh brain and Mimi, you have an old brain.” While she is right that my brain is older (much older) than hers, the real reason I haven’t memorized it is because I haven’t made the time. I haven’t made Scripture memorization a true priority. Oh I know lots of Scripture but not precisely and rarely with the “address.” Thankfully, a concordance solves that problem. Scripture memorization is a spiritual discipline I have neglected. I accept the Holy Spirit’s challenge to make a more concerted effort to move from paraphrasing to precision.
Meditation is an ongoing conversation between the Holy Spirit and yourself about what you’re learning in God’s Word. I love that this is an open invitation to share what we’re learning and not just a directive. A way to further develop our relationship with Him because He wants to know our hearts and where we are in this life. ❤️
This is exactly what I was just talking to God about…”How do I do it, Lord? How do I memorize your Word and use it? How can I tuck it away in my heart for daily use.” I too have a short attention span and trouble remembering. This was good for me today.
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ABBEY BYRD – praying for you as your body heals, nerve pain is the worst!
Praying for other Sisters needs as well – healing and marriages.
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I’d love to be so full of the Bible that it flows from me…. feels unattainable but I know that’s an excuse really.
I would also love to see that book as I have never had much success at memorisation and would love to. What an encouraging devotional.