Written On The Heart

Great Aunt Maurine said at a hundred and three

Write scripture on your heart for when you need it

These are the opening lines of Leanna Crawford’s song entitled “Still Waters (Psalm 23)”.  I don’t know anything about Leanna’s great aunt Maurine except the woman knew what she was talking about when it comes to scripture.  Scripture memory is a habit I have fallen in and out of over the years.  In the past couple of months I have been trying to make it a daily practice to work on scripture memorization.  I had forgotten how much I was missing out on until I started doing it again.  Memorizing scripture is one of those things that I think people miss out on because they don’t see the point in doing it.  It can appear on the surface to have no tangible benefit or seem like something only “super religious” people would do.  One common objection to scripture memory in this day and age might be “why would I memorize a verse when I can simply pull up a bible app on my phone and search for it?” I don’t believe the number of verses you have memorized will get you into heaven, but I do believe it has real benefit for all believers.  

When I was young my mom or dad would read the bible to me almost every night.  There was much I didn’t understand, and probably a good chunk I slept through, but I truly believe it that time in the word was foundational to the person I am today.  Sometimes when my dad would put me to bed he would turn the lights out and instead of reading scripture to me he would recite it to me from memory.  My father has the gift of storytelling and when he recalled those lines of scripture they came to life.  He has memorized the book of Jonah, the book of Galations, 1 Corinthians 13, and I am sure many more I don’t know about.  It was his delight in memorizing scripture which drew me to the practice in the first place.  I don’t claim to have memorized as much as he has, but I hope to one day have an entire book of the Bible memorized.  Memorizing scripture brings it to the forefront of your mind.  It “writes it on your heart” so to speak.  I recently memorized Psalm 139 which is one of my favorite Psalms.  The first few verses are as follows:   

You have searched me Lord 

And you know me

You know when I sit and when I rise

You perceive my thoughts from afar

You discern my going out and my lying down

You are familiar with all my ways

Before a word is on my tongue 

you Lord know it completely

You hem me in behind and before

You lay your hand upon me

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me

Too lofty for me to attain

-Psalm 139:1-6

When I was in the process of memorizing the psalm and in the time which has followed these lines have been brought to mind countless times.  When stress arises at work I know the Lord hems me in behind and before.  When I feel lost, alone, and misunderstood I know the Lord is familiar with all of my ways.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.  Too lofty for me to attain.  I need these words daily.  They remind me of the truth in a world full of darkness and when I recall them I am filled with the light of the truth.  Scripture memory isn’t easy.  It takes consistency and practice, but it is so worth it to have these words written on my heart to take them with me wherever I go.  The task may feel daunting, but start small.  You will be amazed at how much you can memorize and how years down the road those verses memorized will still be with you.  It does take consistency though and daily practice.  Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed and give up.  Pick one or two short verses.  Read them in the morning, read them at night.  Say them out loud and write them down, before you know it, you will know it.  Don’t know where to start?  I will give you a super easy one John 11:35 “Jesus wept.” Two words.  I bet you already have it memorized.  Try John 3:16, most of you probably already know it.  Check out the Navigators Topical Memory System verses for more suggestions.  If there is a verse which stands out to you while reading your bible or listening to a sermon, write it down, memorize it.  I promise you, time spent in scripture memory is time well spent.