Scripture memory is very important to me.  Up until nearly four years ago, regular Scripture memory was not a part of my life.  I went through a very difficult season in which I realized my need to hide God’s Word in my heart.  Listed below is a partial list of reasons why I memorize Scripture.

My purpose in sharing this is not to toot my own weak, rusty horn, but rather, to spur you on to consider implementing this discipline in your own life.

1. My heart is deceitful and I am easily tempted.  Jesus used Scripture to fight temptation.  Therefore, I should use it too.  Genesis 3:1-6, Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 28:26, Matthew 4
2. I believe the Word of God is useful for all of life.  2 Timothy 3:16
3. God’s Word will convict me of sin.  Hebrews 4:12
4. I want to fight sin.  Psalm 119:11, Deuteronomy 30:14, Ephesians 4:17
5. I am told that it is more desirable than gold.  Psalm 19:10-11
6. I want to grow in faith.  Proverbs 22:18-19, Romans 10:17
7. I will be blessed by doing it.  Psalm 1, Psalm 119:1-2
8. It is a command given in both the Old and New Testaments.  Deuteronomy 6, Colossians 3:16.
9. I see examples of it throughout Scripture. Psalm 119, Matthew 4, John 1:23, Acts 15:16-18…
10. I want to praise God throughout my days.  Reminding myself of His attributes helps me.  Psalm 71:8, Psalm 98, Psalm 139:14, Psalm 145:2
11. I want to be able to think on things that are right and true.  Philippians 4:8
12. I want to commune with God continually.  Speaking His Word back to Him helps me accomplish that.
13. I get discouraged easily and need to be reminded of my hope.  Psalm 42:11, Psalm 119:114, Psalm 119:147, Psalm 130:5, Lamentations 3:19-26
14. I want to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks what my hope is.  1 Peter 3:15
15. In this season of life, it is not always feasible for me to read my Bible for extended periods of time.  Being able to recall His Word throughout my day is a great help.
16. There are so many teachable moments with children. I want to know God’s word well enough to recall it at a moment’s notice.  Deuteronomy 6
17. When I am with other people, I want to be able to share God’s Word even if I don’t have a Bible with me. Proverbs 25:11

“The wheels on the bus go round and round…”

“It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring…”

“Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb…”

Do your toddlers walking around singing these nursery rhymes or songs?  I am amazed sometimes by what I hear my daughter singing!  I didn’t realize that she had a song memorized until I hear her singing it while she is playing.

Imagine if it were that way with Bible verses!

It can be!  Toddlers have an amazing memory and an amazing capacity with which to remember and memorize just about anything.  How often has your toddler told you about something they enjoyed or did that happened months ago, leaving you stunned and thinking, “I can’t believe you remember that!” Have you yet begun to take advantage of this by helping them hide the Word of God in their little heart?  If not, I want to encourage you to consider beginning today!  If your child can talk, he or she is capable of memorizing Scripture!

There is no right way to do it, and there are many methods out there.  I use two methods: music and simple practice.  I love, love, love Steve Green’s Hide ‘Em in Your Heart series.  They are catchy and fun.

We have a daily (or bi- or tri-daily) “circle time” in which we review a memory verse.  Tara catches on very quickly.  I usually choose a verse that is applicable to struggles she is having that will instruct her in the right thing to do.  The very first verse she memorized was, “Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).  When she has mastered a verse, we move on to another one.  There is no set amount of time that I spend on each verse that I am helping her hide in her heart.  Some verses take longer than others for her to remember.  But once she has it, I don’t delay to move on and we continue to review the verses that she has already memorized.  Usually, the review comes when we have a real life situation in which I am seeking to apply the verse to, like when she snatches a toy from her brother.   So, some verses are learned much more quickly than others. 

My goal is not just rote Scripture memory, though.  I have many reasons why I am seeking to instill a love for God’s Word in my own heart and in my children’s hearts which you can read about here tomorrow.  I’m not prescribing you follow my method, but I hope that you’ll consider the benefits of Scripture memory and pray about implementing this spiritual discipline in your life and the life of your children!  If you decide to do it, you can try different methods to see what works the best for you and your family!