I can’t remember ANYTHING so there’s no way I can memorize Scripture.
I hear statements like this from people all the time. The truth is, I totally understand being forgetful! If I don’t park in the same area of the grocery store parking lot each time, I forget where my car is. If I don’t write down what I need to accomplish, I leave off important things! I’m horrible at remembering names. I think most all of us can relate to not having a good memory! So then, should we just abandon the idea of memorizing God’s Word since it seems impossible?
In mid September I began memorizing the third chapter of Colossians. Oh, what a joy this chapter of Scripture has been to my heart! I have mediated on it over and over as I’ve put this chapter in my heart. There are so many wonderful truths about my position in Christ, and then the reminder of the things that should be a part of my life because I am in Him!
When I shared my desire to memorize this chapter last month, I promised to give an update. My goal was to learn one verse per day, but it was a bit too challenging. My struggle isn’t each learning individual verse, but saying them in order! The Lord is giving me understanding as I keep rehearsing the chapter each day. I am really enjoying using the Bible Memory App. It really makes it easy to review my verses anywhere. I am now up to…
Verse 21. It’s exciting to me that I only have four more verses to go in this chapter!
There have been many nights that I awake in the middle of the night, wide awake. It’s been my practice this month to begin repeating Colossians 3 in my mind. Before I know it, I’ve gone back to sleep! I dream peacefully and get good rest.
Psalm 119:52
I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.
This is no boast…I’m very slow and I don’t have nearly the amount of Scripture memorized that I should have at this age. I only share this to keep myself accountable. I also pray it challenges you to be memorizing God’s Word! What a treasure it is.
Birthdays have always been special days in my life. My family made a big deal of them when I was a child, and I’ve kept that tradition with my family as well. Breakfast in bed has been a fun tradition. Special meal, cake and gifts are a part of the day as well!
Birthday lunch with my twin sister
It’s a great day to celebrate, but for me it’s also a great day to reflect on the past and make some good goals for the future. I probably do this more on my birthday than on New Year’s Day.
This past weekend as I celebrated another birthday, I connected my goals for the next year with what the Lord has been saying to me in my Bible reading. In II Chronicles, I had read about Josiah uncovering the Books of the Law and lamenting that the Word had not been obeyed. He loved God’s Word and longed to follow it because He loved the Lord and sought after him.
I was convicted that my life doesn’t always show my love for the Scripture. Oh, I read it every day and it changes me, but I realized that I have gotten very lazy with Scripture memory. If I really loved it, wouldn’t I be pouring it into my heart? I read about a group of people who had been saved and their lives were radically changed. They loved God’s Word so much that it wasn’t unusual for them to memorize the entire New Testament! Do I love God’s Word so much that I want large doses of it in my mind, or am I satisfied with status quo? I was convicted and challenged!
So on my birthday, I asked the Lord to give me a greater hunger for His Word. I began that day to memorize Colossians 3. Three days later, I’ve gotten through verse 3! My goal is to memorize one verse a day, which means in 25 days, I’ll be finished with the chapter! This has been my pattern in the past, and I’m asking the Lord to help me stick with this and memorize this precious passage of His Word.
Another goal I have is to memorize Psalm 63 this year. This is the psalm for my age and there are only 11 verses! Listen to verse 8 ~
My soul followeth hard after thee; thy right hand upholdeth me.
How good is that?! I long for my soul to follow hard after the Lord this year! What a precious remembrance that His right hand upholds me! Whatever comes to my life, He holds me!
I’ll keep you updated about my Scripture memory progress as the month passes. How about you? Are you memorizing Scripture? What method do you have to hide God’s Word in your heart? Though we have so many means to have the Bible at our fingertips, we can’t always get to it. What if you’re sick? What if your phone is separated from you? We need it in our hearts!
Last week I shared a video in which I recited a chapter from the Book of James. It’s only by God’s grace that I have it tucked away in my heart. I only shared that to encourage others that if I can memorize the Bible, so can you. At nearly 60, and with a poor memory, it truly doesn’t come natural. But it is important to me, so I work at it – not even as faithfully as I should, but I am striving to learn more verses each year. Please don’t be amazed – it’s not me. It’s the Lord Who has helped me.
Today, I’m sharing with you the method I use to memorize Bible verses. I pray it will help you and encourage you to begin working on at least one verse. That’s where it starts! You can find that video here, and the previous video here. You can also watch it below.
Don’t be defeated in this discipline, friends. Start with one verse and then add to that. You can do all things through Christ who will strengthen you! Philippians 4:13
As I continue to celebrate the 10th anniversary of RefreshHer this week, I had to stop and share a brief video, because out of my blog came the opportunity to add videos on You Tube. This is an arm off of my site here, that holds the same desire – the refresh the hearts of women. I never set out to begin a You Tube Channel, but it just sort of evolved out of the desire to speak to women on the same platform as my blog, but in a little more personal way.
Today’s video is a challenge to memorize Scripture. I’ve by no means gotten it down pat! I stumble and falter (as you’ll witness on the video!), but the important fact is that I’m getting His Word in my heart. I share this today, not to boast, but to gently nudge each of you to find a passage of Scripture that you could memorize.
There are no secrets to memorizing – it’s just hard work and a heart to do it. However, we do have the help of the Author! God Himself will enable you and me to remember His Word as we ask for wisdom to do so (James 1:5).
Go here to see the video. You can also search my name, Denise Cunningham and you’ll find the thumbnail above. I pray it will encourage you to keep on memorizing, if you’re working on Scripture memory, or to get started if you’ve been hesitant to begin. It’s a wonderful blessing that you will surely treasure!
Are you memorizing Scripture? What are you working on?
Do you struggle? Start with ONE verse and write it on a card. Get the understanding of the verse in your heart. Pray that verse back to God. Take that card with you everywhere. Put it in your pocket. Put it in front of you when you’re working. Keep saying it over and over until you get it mastered…it make take days or weeks. Just keep at it. That verse will become your dearest friend.
RefreshHer 