A Gift That Keeps On Giving

I admire people who can quote scripture upon scripture. Not because it just sounds impressive, but because hearing them recite God's Word means that they have the living and active Word of God with them constantly. In a moment's notice they can refer to the Word that is able to save our souls. God's Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb 4:12). If we believe this to be true, then we hold a powerful book in our hands with the Word. It motivates, encourages, gives hope, calms a weary soul, and ultimately changes our sinful hearts in a way that propels us to act and live a life that glorifies God. When we memorize what it says, we are forced to contemplate the Words of God and in this examination of the text we have no choice but to respond and react.
 
"Instead of memorizing it, you can just open the Bible and read it", you may say, but that's not the same as having it in your mind and heart.
 
When you can't sleep at night because you're worried, wouldn't it be nice if this would just come to mind?

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?   But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matt. 6: 25, 30, 33-34)

Just like that. You could recite it and could meditate on these truths concerning worry.  
 
Many times we run to the bookstore or library shelves to find the next self-help book to fix our problems. The wisdom that we can obtain if we would intently look at God's Word puts every self-help book out there to shame. The One with all wisdom has given us the answer to every problem we'll ever have, all in the Bible.

The James Precept Study that I've been doing has a scripture memorization portion that I've been making a concerted effort to do each week. What I've found in both studying and looking intently at the Word is that as I memorize scripture and recite it back to myself, I am encouraged. Our flesh can be carried away and enticed to become discouraged and defeated in life, but with God's Word we're equipped for all matters in life.  How can we combat the problems of life with the Word if we don't know what it says? And, for those that may be pretty well versed on what it may say, wouldn't it be nice to have these Words within your mind to ponder over, wrestle with, and ultimately be equipped with for all matters of life? 
 
So, what's the excuse? It takes time, energy, and brain power to commit God's Word to memory, but for just a few minutes a day it can be done. Some people have the ability to retain large amounts of information at a time and can retain it well. I am not one of those people. It takes time and repetition for me to retain information in my head.
 
So, if you're like me, find yourself a notecard and jot down a memory verse. You don't have to try to commit a large passage all at once to memory. Start small and write down just one or two verses and spend time everyday reciting it back to yourself. The nice thing about practicing to recite scripture is, you can do it anytime. You can practice on the way to work, while eating breakfast, while changing a diaper, in a business meeting when you're bored, and when you can't sleep at night. Whenever your mind wanders, you can practice. For large passages, as you find yourself being able to recite a few verses at a time, tack on another verse, and then another. The rewards of memorizing scripture are truly priceless. You will gain and retain wisdom that has come from the Lord and be equipped for life.

See, even those of us that use the excuse that we're awful at memorization, CAN memorize scripture.

We have no excuse my friends. So, let's get to work!