Posted in Celebrations | Back to Main Blog Page

 Written by Pastor Abby Davidson

For those of us who grew up in Sunday school, memorizing a new Bible verse each week was probably a regular childhood practice. Unfortunately, as we age out of Sunday school, we tend to leave Scripture memory behind.

Why should we memorize scripture? Wasn’t that for the days when we couldn’t look verses up on biblegateway.com? I confess that when I’m without the internet I have a very hard time finding bible verses. I can recite the verse and guess what book of the Bible it’s in but I need to sift through the chapters in order to locate the reference. Thanks to the internet, we can look up a verse instantly but there are good reasons for committing God’s Word to memory.

Here are 5 reasons why we should continue to practice Scripture memory as a Spiritual Discipline:

1. Jesus did it.

During his life on earth Jesus quoted scripture about 180 times. He who was there at the dawn of creation felt it best to communicate by speaking words that had been written down by the prophets and psalmists.

2. It makes us wise.

Colossians 3:16 tells us to “let the word of Christ dwell in us richly” as it will allow us to teach each other and admonish each other wisely.

3. It helps us resist temptation.

When Jesus was led by the Sprit into the wilderness he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. Jesus responded to each temptation with words from Scripture. When we are tempted we need to be reminded of biblical truth.  

4. So we can encourage each other.

When I am afraid I will trust in you.

You will restore my life again.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end.

These are not just words we throw around to make ourselves feel better. The word of God is powerful and is a reminder that even in the most desperate situations, God is with us and is working for our good.

5. To better understand God and his will.

One of the most common questions I hear Christians ask is What is God’s will for me? The good news is that the answer to that question is given in the Bible. When we memorize Scripture we can be confident that in difficult situations or dilemmas, those words will come to us and guide us in our decisions. 

These are only a few reasons why we should memorize scripture. You can start by writing down your choice of verse on a piece of paper and sticking it somewhere you look often (ie. Computer screen, bathroom mirror, day planner). Every time you look at it say the reference, then the verse and end by saying the reference again. Keep these written verses in an envelope or drawer where you can go back and look at them again.

Here’s a good verse to start with:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Or if that seems too long you can start with John 11:35… I’ll let you look it up!