At age thirteen I was really encouraged to memorize when I saw a video of a young lady resiting from memory a large portion of Scripture. I was much challenged. A friend and I started memorizing scripture and kept each other accountable. It was a great start to memorizing. Since then I have memorized a number of chapters of the Bible and still reflect on them.
I knew meditating on God’s word was important and I saw so many examples of others who memorized. But do we really know the power in memorizing? I do not think I will ever truly know how affective it is. The last few weeks I have been memorizing and last year at this same time I was memorizing and it is such a great way to start off the New Year. As I was memorizing the other day a verse that I have been working on came to my mind right when I needed it. I was not trying to think of a verse but it just popped right in my mind when I needed that truth. Colossians 3:2 “Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.” I wondered why was I dwelling and complaining when I need to set my affections on things above.
Last night my mom prayed that what my sisters and I have memorized would be applied in our lives. I began thinking about how Colossians 3:2 came to my memory and how I desired to continue to memorize scripture.
Here are a few things that benefited me when I was memorizing:
1. It has kept me in the word.
2. I am able to encourage others by sending emails of verses I am memorizing.
3. It has set my affections on Him and when my flesh wants something different I know a verse to turn to right away.
4. It has been a good use of my time.
There are so many different aspects in memorizing. Those were just a few that have encouraged me to keep memorizing! The one thing that I have been meditating on is loving not the world. The Lord has been teaching me to put my affections on Him. If there is one simple thing I want to remember is that Christ should be our all in all and by memorizing we can reflect on Christ. Colossians 3:11 “…but Christ IS all, and IN all.” A friend has this on her blog “Is Jesus Christ merely a part of your life? Or is He your entire life?”
Psalm 27:8 “When thou saidest, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” May I encourage us to consider how often we are delighting in Him? Are our affections on Him or the world? When was the last time we hid His word in our heart? Are we meditating on Him day and night?
Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”
Please be looking for our next newsletter that will have more on this topic of scripture memorization.
