We are going through a pretty miserable Spring Break vacation here in Burnsville. I started out the week by recovering from having a shard of glass removed from the bottom of my foot. The funny line from the Podiatrist was when he told me that it is going to really hurt and burn for about thirty seconds. "But real men can handle it." (My thought was well, if you find a real man, I'll be the one sitting next to him!) And then Peggy was in the Emergency Room Tuesday after she had an episode where she was totally off-balance, including falling down our stairs (only minor damage to her though). It looks like she is suffering from vertigo, and it came on her in a completely sudden way. But the medication they've given her have helped. But, our poor children are stuck in our home with it raining/snowing for three days now. Add in the mixture of three CRAZY puppies (woops, now only two) and three CRAZIER cats, and I think right now I'm ready to pack my bags for anywhere else.
OK, enough venting, and allow me to get back on topic: Memorizing Bible verses. I have not found a more helpful and useful practice than memorizing Scripture. It helps me to think more about these verses, and thereby have a better understanding of what is written. And it also helps me to meditate on these verses during those times when I am awake at night. The program I am using now is 'Memorize His Word' (here's a demo.) It has a free period to download the program and try it out. What I like best about this program is that you can et up any verse or set of verses to memorize. I even put in Elijah's Cub Scout oath in, and it worked well. It is very flexible, let's you choose whatever Bible translation you prefer, and it's cheap. The other program I have tried is Memlok. This is easier to use, and provides a very helpful, simple picture to help you remember how to start the verse. And starting the verse is half the battle. The follow-up is pre-scheduled, so even if you have many verses you are memorizing, it maxes out at 6 daily verses. The only problem was that there are "only" 700 verses to memorize. But both programs are great – so give them a try!
So why should I study and memorize Bible verses, and are there any good tips to help out? I'm glad you asked. Take a look at an article on Pastor John Piper's blog (here). In the article the writer provides 18 tricks to help in memorizing Scripture. Here is a portion of what he wrote:
…But one of the most compelling reasons for memorizing Scripture I found in John Piper's sermon If My Words Abide in You: memorizing Scripture shapes the way I view the world by conforming to God's viewpoint.
So, whether you want to memorize one verse or an entire book, try these strategies to help you remember more.
1. Read it repeatedly. Did you know you can memorize Scripture during your morning devotion? Instead of zipping through your reading for the day, pause and camp on one verse for a long time. You won't regret it.
2. Pay attention. Sounds obvious, but often ignored. Simply forcing yourself to be aware of what you are reading can help you internalize the words. Repetition will make the mind wander. What you have to do is bring it back.
3. Visualize what you are reading. Take Psalm 1:1 for example. "Blessed is the man who does not walk with the wicked nor stand in the way of the sinner nor sit in the seat of the mocker." Your first tasks is to see the three actions here: walking, standing and sitting. If you can see the three main actions, then you can start to memorize the surrounding words….
The article has some great suggestions, so I hope you will check it out. God's blessings upon you and yours. /s/Tom Wolff
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