Sam Metcalf talks about the benefits of Scripture memorization over at Under the Iceberg.
I don’t have much to add to his post, except to marvel at how effective Bible verse memorization can be if you start it early in life. My sixth-grade Sunday school teacher was a slave-driver when it came to Bible memorization, forcing us to memorize all sorts of verses (and giant swaths of the Heidelberg Catechism, to boot). I did not enjoy it one bit as a kid, but to this day, the verses and catechisms I memorized in that class remain completely fresh in my mind. Maybe it’s a growing-older thing—I can’t remember last week’s sermon topic, but I can flawlessly recite Bible verses I learned in grade school.
At any rate, Metcalf puts forth some good reasons to start memorizing Scripture, even if you aren’t a kid anymore.
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August 24, 2006 at 18:05
Your timing is impeckable! I am starting a men’s group and the other leader and I just agreed that we need to put Scripture memory into the plan.
As for the Topical Memory System noted in the article, excellent! It is the very system that helped me get started in Scripture memory when I was in college.
The article notes one reason why memory is daunting, but I would like to add another reason: because we are a highly literate society, memorization is very difficult. We have little or o skill in it compared to Jesus’ day. How many times has someone started to give you, say, directions to a house, when you stop them and say “I’ll never rememver all that. Please write it down.”
Contrast that to the crowds who listened to Jesus. I am told that in His day about 5% of the population could read. That meant no taking notes during the sermon, no thinking to yourself “if I like this sermon, I’ll get the CD” no option to download the PowerPoint presentation to review later. You just knew that you must memorize what He said (or at least part of it), or you would possibly never hear it again.
August 24, 2006 at 19:08
The article mentions that it’s hard for some adults to memorize scripture. The best way is to make it very short. You can add more later if you wish. It is powerful! We were discussing verses that stuck with us this week. One guy said it was, “Be strong and courageous.” Mine was “A fool shows his annoyance at once.” It’s a great help to have the words of God running through your brain and they are of help to others when you don’t have a bible available or if you’re like me and you cannot remember where a passage came from.
August 24, 2006 at 20:27
Hi –
I began a memorization plan a few weeks ago.
3 X 5 index cards are helpful. I read the verse, write it, and say it out loud. Verses are chosen, which particularly speak to my heart.
Over the years, I’ve committed a number of verses to memory. Even when I think I’ve forgotten them, they will pop up when I need them most.
This was a timely message. Thank you.
Anna
August 25, 2006 at 08:30
In my church I have taken part of a course called “Master Life”. A task of this course was to learn 2 bible verses a week. I thought that would be very difficult to me, but with hindsight I must say, that I learned very much. And now today I try to learn 1 bible verse each week.
August 25, 2006 at 09:55
Excellent tips! Encouraging stories! Got more?
I would love to read you experiences to our men’s group when we discuss the goal of Scripture memory, for I want to encourage them (and myself!) that it can be done (inspite of busy schedules, family, work, etc.) and that it will help us grow closer to God (not to mention the fact that we will be following Jesus’ example).
So…. got any more of the following?
A) Tips and ideas that made memorization easier (some great tips arleady!)
B) how memorization has helped you in your relationship with Jesus (keep the stories coming!)
August 25, 2006 at 12:16
Ha. This is funny. I love scripture and I have waged the war valiantly to memorize it since I was a child (I am now in my, gulp, 50s). I grew up on sword drills, won the prize for being able to repeat back the most scriptures (got a box of 24 snickers!!!). But despite all my best efforts, my brain isn’t wired to retain words verbatim. As a young man working with other Christians one summer we covenanted to memorize the Sermon on the Mount, verse by verse. How quickly it all fled. I’m the same way with names. To be honest, I can recite much scripture, but I don’t retain the exact reference (the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life….somewhere in Romans). In my teens I checked out Harry Lorraine’s “30 days to a better memory” and forgot to return it to the library. I lost it and had to repay them. I remember context, ideas, themes and am quick to anaylize or synthesize. I love to study and read and have taught many Bible Studies. In college, rather than take copious notes I listened to lectures for comprehension which worked well for me (for the most part straight As). Of course, there is always someone in the crowd who can rattle off hundreds of verses and will say, either I haven’t tried or I need to use their method. But I suspect I am not the only one out there. So, for those whose brains are wired differently, be of good cheer…I think it says somewhere that we are all wonderously made and he knit us together in our Mother’s womb. If I could just recall where.
August 26, 2006 at 17:38
Rick—... ” I suspect I’m not the only one out there..”
Good point! I remember spending a summer where we built a church in Ship Rock NM. One of the missionary/construction leaders described his Scripture memory experiences in ways similar to yours. At the time, I, being the zealous college student that I was, did lean pretty hard towards the “you don’t try hard enough” response. (Guilty as charged!
But what I learned from this man was that, while he wasn’t too successful at memorization, he was a man who had a deep and abiding love for God.
What I also learned was that memorization wasn’t the goal (this seems so obvious looking back), but rather meditation, reflection, giving God’s word an opportunity to work on the heart.
My construction missionary aquaintence turned friend was a great example of Psalm 1
“1. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
While my friend was not too successful at memorizing Psalm 1, he was very successful at living it.