Memorizing God’s Word
I am a visual learner. I haven’t always known this about myself, but recently I’ve discovered just how well I can learn when there is a picture attached to information. I think this is why I tend to write Scripture all over my life, rather than just speaking it multiple times, which also works well for some.
For me, however, I need to see it and write it over and over again in order to be able to memorize it. This is why we created Scripture Cards that are pretty enough for you to hang around your house, on your mirror, and in your car.
Memorizing Scripture is something I overlooked for many years. It didn’t come easy for me, and honestly, I didn’t see a ton of value in it.
Now, as a busy mama, I realize more than ever how desperately I need His Word to be replaying in my mind, over and over again. There are times when I just can’t get to my Bible, even if it is on my phone. I’m pinned under a sleeping baby, or washing dishes, or laboring. But my mind continues to meditate, always. It never stops. I am always thinking, meditating, and processing.
If I don’t have Scripture to meditate on, my mind continues to mediate anyway. I meditate on to-do lists, fears, insecurities, and the constant battle of wondering if I measure up. It doesn’t ever shut off. Don’t believe me? Pray. Ask God to reveal to you what your mind meditates on today. What consumes your thoughts? What do you think most about? What lies are you allowing your mind to dwell on?
Sister, we must be soaking up the truth found in God’s word. If you are not soaking in His truth, you are still going to be soaking in something. The enemy wants it to be difficult for us to rest in the Truth found in God’s Word.
Although you may feel like you don’t have time, or energy, or even a desire to memorize Scripture, I want to lovingly challenge you.
Find time. Rest in His Word when you’re physically exhausted. Do it anyway, even if you don’t feel like it. He will meet you there. He will remind you of these truths that you memorized when you need them most. It will not be a waste of time, I promise you that!
Psalm 61:1-4
Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
Let me dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
These four verses were the very first verses that I memorized last year at this time when God began to awake my desire to write the Word onto my heart. Memorize all four verses if you can; if you are new to memorizing Scripture or just want to start small, we are going to focus on verse 2.
Let’s read it again. Slowly this time.
“From the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I.”
Is your heart faint? Are you exhausted? Do you feel overwhelmed with life?
Maybe you don’t today, but I promise you, you will. I can’t tell you how many times these words slipped from my lips over the past year when I faced a stressful day, or a trial, or even my own labor six months ago.
There are times in life where you feel a wave of trouble wash over you. Maybe you will face it in labor or while mothering small children. Regardless of when you face it, you will face it. Not only are you completely submerged in your trial, but your heart is as well. It is so hard to pray during the times that your heart feels like it’s drowning. Having Scripture written on your heart allows you to pray, even when words are hard to find.
Charles H. Spurgeon, in his commentary on this Psalm, says this: “Tribulation brings us to God, and brings God to us. Faith’s greatest triumphs are achieved in her heaviest trials. It is all over with me, affliction is all over me; it encompasses me as a cloud, it swallows me up like a sea, it shuts me in with thick darkness, yet God is near, near enough to hear my voice, and I will call him.”
Let’s read it one last time together. Even slower this time.
“From the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I.”
This sweet little nugget reminds us that yes, we will grow faint, but He is faithful to lead us to the rock that is higher than us: Himself. We can see God as a refuge and a rock when nothing else in the world makes sense. When we feel too weak to continue and too overwhelmed to think, He will guide us, He will lift us unto Him. When we feel the waves of this world crash down on us (which we all will at some point), we can remind our hearts of this nugget of truth. We can allow it to bring us comfort, because He is the God of comfort, our Rock.
