One of the most important spiritual disciplines of a disciple is memorizing God’s Word. Some may scoff at this idea as impractical, old-fashioned, beneath an adult follower, or just plain ridiculous; but the fact of the matter is that it is the truth.
First, consider the value that the Bible itself places on memorizing His Word.
Joshua 1:8 – This Book of the Law shall not depart from your lips, but you shall meditate on it day and night…
Psalm 1:2 – Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.
Psalm 119:11 – I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…
Second, consider biblical characters who memorized Scripture. Jesus memorized Scripture. He quoted it in His battle with Satan during the wilderness temptation. Moses commanded the Israelites to memorize Scripture and teach it to their children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). In the book of Acts, the disciples often quoted Scripture when preaching. The list of people in the Bible who memorized Scripture is lengthy.
Third, it is the bedrock discipline in focusing our minds on Christ and furthering our own spiritual growth. Dallas Willard wrote, “Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs.”
From Why to How To…
For most people, beginning efforts at memorizing Scripture requires a team process. This need is a primary reason why it is important for students and adults to belong to some type of discipleship group that memorizes Scripture as part of its regular meeting. Here are some suggestions to help people memorize Scripture.
1. Make Scripture memory a part of your discipleship group process. Start the group meeting by letting each person share the group’s assigned memory verse – from memory! If Scripture memory is delayed to the end of the meeting, the group often runs out of time for memory. Quoting the memory verse during the group meeting provides the accountability necessary for Scripture memory.
2. Read the verse in context. Read the entire chapter the verse appears two or three times to get a grasp of the verse as it relates to the direction of the text. This process will add meaning to the verse.
3. Write the selected verse for memory in your journal every day. Try to write as much as you can from memory. Check your work to make sure that you have written the verse precisely as it appears in the Bible.
4. Say the verse out loud. Okay, it may seem weird at first, but actually speaking the verse out loud will help you learn it faster than reading or writing it. Try to say the verse 10 times in a row without mistakes.
5. Partner up. Find someone that will listen as you speak the verse.
6. Start slow and build. Start by memorizing one or two verses a week. You will be amazed at how quickly you will become an expert at memorization.
7. Challenge yourself. Move from memorizing single verses to memorizing entire Bible passages, chapters, or even books; such as 1 Corinthians 13, Philippians 2:1-11, or the book of James.
Finally, develop the art of meditating on Scripture all day. In Psalm 1:2, the psalmist writes that “he meditates on it (the Bible) day and night”. This verse is a metaphor that means that he meditates on God’s Word all the time.
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