Memorizing Scripture ~ Part Three

"I have treasured the words of His mouth

more than my necessary food"

Job 23:12

Just a few more thoughts, my friends, on the subject of memorizing Scripture.  Most of us are living awfully busy lives, and permanently implanting His Word in our minds and hearts takes commitment.  As someone once said, "You gotta have the 'want to'!"

I encourage you to want to.  Years ago, after I attended that conference with the speaker who had memorized whole books of Scripture, the very next day, with that in my head, I happened to read Deuteronomy 32, which is a song of Moses.  Something about the beauty of that chapter, and the fact that I'd just been presented with the idea of memorizing a whole chapter, inspired me to get started that very day.  It took me all summer to memorize 42 verses (which is the whole song, albeit not the whole chapter) three or four words at a time.

Now, I couldn't still recite that song to you, because it's been several years, and we have to keep reciting something memorized, if we want to keep it memorized.   But I know it when I hear it.  If someone happens to quote it in a sermon; when I come across it in the New Testament (it's quoted a few times, I think), I just know it.  If you're a mom, have you ever been at a park, or where there's several children, and one of them shouts, "mommy!"  they might all sound alike, but you know when it's yours.  Same with Scripture.  When you memorize something, it becomes yours.

It will never leave you.  It can never be taken from you.  Even if you think you've forgotten it, it'll come back to you when you least expect it.   And by claiming it, it will already have made a change in your heart, and in your life.

Revelation 5:8 tells us that God treasures our prayers in golden bowls.  If that's how He cherishes our words, how much more should we cherish His??

~ "Your Word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path...

I will not forget Your Word" ~

Psalm 119:105, 16