Daily Devotions for Difficult Days [130] Memorable Verses

When I were a Lad

When I was a boy, growing up in Karachi, Pakistan, my missionary dad would drive us to school each day and back in our ancient green jalopy Jeep.

On the way there and on the way back my father trained his six children into two spiritual disciplines. First we learnt Christian songs off by heart. These were generally simpler chorus types such as:

I met Jesus at the cross roads,
Where the two ways meet;
Satan too was standing there,
And he said 'Come this way,
Lots  and lots of pleasures I can give to you this day.'
But I said 'No!  there's Jesus here,
Just  see what He offers me:
Down here my sins forgiven,
Up there, a home in heaven;'
Praise  God that's the way for me. (listen HERE)

Then we learnt Bible verses off by heart. Lots and lots of Bible verses! All in the good 'ole King James Version.

The logic of my dad was two-fold. First, let's not waste precious time. Second, and more importantly, let's fill our minds with godly wholesome thoughts, for what we think is what we are and what we shall become.

Over the next few weeks we plan to meditate on some of the great memorable verses of Scripture. Why don't you learn them off by heart each day? But to start us off let's meditate on the lost discipline of Bible memorization.

The Blessings of Bible Memorization

There are many reasons to memorise passages of the Bible. Here are four.

Jesus memorised the Bible. We know that because when Satan tempted him in the desert, without a scroll in his back pocket or a Bible App he was able to quote Scripture from memory and send the tempter away, tail between legs.

Scripture itself encourages us to memorise Scripture. The Lord says to Joshua - and to all would-be-wise believers - "Do not let this Book of the law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

Memorising Scripture purifies the mind. We all know how our minds can wander off in directions that are not helpful. Paul encourages us like this, "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

Memorising Scripture  keeps us from sin. Here is our memory verse for today, Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

Memorising Scripture equips us for the spiritual battle we all face every day, from the flesh, the world and especially from the Evil One.

The Practise of Memorization

One way to memorise a Bible verse is to break it down into smaller chunks and to repeat the first chunk until it is remembered, and then memorise the second part and repeat the first two parts together, and so on, adding new parts until the whole is remembered.

A second way is to place the verse on one side of a card and the reference on the other and on some days repeat the verse from just the reference ("John 3:16") and on other days remember the reference from the verse.

If you have never learnt Scripture off by heart, it's never too late to start and benefit from having Scripture in mind and heart. If you are a parent what a wonderful way to use and spend your car journeys.

Psalm 119:11, encourages us to hide God's word in our hearts. The mind is where memorization will store it. Prayerful meditation will store it deeper within our hearts, from which it will become, by the Holy Spirit, the spring of life.

A SONG FOR THE DAY

A lovely simple song, based on Psalm 119:11, to teach the kids in the car, or to sing while doing the dishes.

Thy Word have I hid in my heart
That I might not sin against thee;
That I might not sin, that I might not sin,
Thy word have I hid in my heart.

You can sing along HERE.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Our loving and forgiving Father in heaven,

We thank you for these summer days and for every material blessing that comes from your hands. For homes and food, drink and warm beds to sleep on we thank you.

We thank you for your Holy Word. We thank you that while heaven and earth will pass away, your Word, the Word of Christ, will never pass away.

Help us to treasure it by memorising it and more than that, by storing it up in our hearts, that it would become, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the wellspring of our lives.

We ask these things in Jesus Name,

Amen

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash