I will do anything for my sweet granddaughters. My oldest, Carrington, just started the first grade. She called to tell me that her class is memorizing a Bible passage for the entire year, at one verse a week. Wanting to be her biggest encourager, I told her I would memorize it with her (even though its in ESV, which is not my favorite for memorizing). We’re now on week five, and it has been such a joy. Every Thursday she sends me a video over the phone to recite her passage. And then I send her back a video reciting the same verses. Technology overcomes our 500 mile distance.
I often receive comments that my method of memorizing is too intense for them. So I’m throwing out a new suggestion. Take a passage and memorize it one verse a week. Think of the cumulative benefit. At the end of the school year, these six-year-olds will have 36 verses in the same passage. If each grade continues with the same plan, that’s 432 verses by the time they graduate. Wow, I’ve never been so excited about one verse a week.
Parents, and grandparents, this is such a doable plan for your children, teenagers and yourself. Let me share a few benefits that come to all who memorize God’s Word, and then I’d love for you to add to my list. We memorize so that we will:
• know how much God loves us
• learn to distinguish between truth and error
• stand alone against peer pressure
• trust God’s Word as a source of wisdom for whatever life hands us
• find comfort when life disappoints us
• avoid the pitfalls that await us in this ferocious world
And the list goes on…
I’d love to hear your additions to the list.
What a precious blessing. And an encouragement to all of us to not use an excuse like “I can’t do that”. We all need the reminder some days.
Great post! That’s so neat you’re memorizing with your granddaughter! I’m so excited my daughter is memorizing Hebrews 11 this year with her third grade class. I’m enjoying hearing her recite what she’s learned so far, and helping her to solidify any parts that need more practice. I love how many Christian schools are giving students a chapter or small book of the Bible to memorize over the school year!
I think the one verse a week plan is excellent for adults, too, because it eliminates a lot of potential excuses people may have about memorizing Scripture. One verse a week is totally doable and is not overwhelming when spread out over the course of a week. If a person starts at one verse a week and notices by the middle of the week he or she already has it down and is eager to move on to the next verse, he or she can always try memorizing two verses a week and see if that’s doable for him or her. Memorizing 1-2 verses a week is my comfort zone. More than that, for me, and the joy of memorizing starts to fade and it starts to feel like a burden. If ever it feels burdensome, I know I’m taking on too much, and need to slow down my pace and savor my verses. I’d rather memorize at a slower pace and soak in my memory verses like a relaxing bubble bath, than to rush through them at a difficult pace and feel overwhelmed. I draw so much joy from lingering in my memory verses. I may not memorize as fast as I’d like to, but I’ve found a pace that works for me to be consistently memorizing God’s Word at an enjoyable pace.
Thank you Brooke, I agree with everything you said. And I love the Hebrews 11 passage for kids – wow.
Your granddaughter is adorable! What a great idea to get kids into memorizing scripture! What passage or book is the class memorizing?
Hi Trisha, The class is doing Psalm 119, starting with verse 129. Not sure why the teacher chose to start there but I plan to visit in a few weeks and would love to ask her teacher.
-bond with one’s granddaughter in a most blessed adventure
-pray according to God’s will using His own words
-praise God using the Psalms and other prayers
-be able to resist temptation because you know God’s warnings and
promises by heart
-give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to bring an appropriate portion of God’s Word to bear in daily life encounters
-fill our minds with His thoughts “in the watches of the night”
-connect us with the Lord Jesus, the Apostles, King David, and other saints of old as we memorize their prayers, songs of praise, words of admonition, etc
-be a blessing and encouragement to others by sharing Scripture when appropriate
-acquire appreciation for the various forms of literature in the Bible
-spending our time learning something that will remain with us to eternity
Hi Shan, What a fantastic list. Everything on the list is incredibly beneficial. And it makes me wonder why we don’t memorize more, myself included.
Janet, Your Carrington was a great inspiration to me when she recited Psalm 84. May God bless her in her new adventure! I’m doing the Bible Basics from FreedomKids.org with my two little boys, 3 & 5.
I think we should all check out Freedomkids.org I love hearing about great resources. That’s how we can help each other. I will tell Carrington that her Psalm 84 inspired you. That should also inspire all of us. I’ve had many impromptu opportunities to recite God’s Word. Sometimes I’ll be at a dinner or a party of some kind. Someone will say “Janet please share some Scripture with us.” It usually catches me off guard, but once I collect my thoughts and speak the Word, God always has someone in the group that needed to hear what I have shared. I marvel at the way God chooses to use us, and what a privilege to be ready and able to speak out loud the very words of God.
Yes, Janet, that’s how I started this Scripture memory adventure, after hearing you on the Revive Our Hearts radio program back in Jan. 2015!!! God used you to bless me, and I’m grateful to Him and you 🙂
I’m so thankful that God chooses to use ordinary people to encourage others. What a privilege for me. Thank you for sharing that. Now I’m encouraged.
That is a wonderful idea. A verse a week is so doable for kiddos – parents and grandparents too. Where do you live and where is your grand-daughter? I have 10 grandchildren in Pennsylvania and I am in Wisconsin. I do have 3 more here in WI though so that is good. I love having my one on one Nana time with each of them when we are together.
Hi Amy, so glad to see you on the blog. I live in Dallas and my 3 granddaughters live in Birmingham, AL. God gives grandparents such a special role in their grandchildren’s lives. What a joy and privilege.
What part of WI are you from, Amy? I know this is a long shot, but I’m up in the Northwoods of Superior. My daughter is a freshman at UW Madison. I’m from TX and fairly new to WI so I’m always excited about finding other believers here in Wisconsin. =)
Memorization will hopefully lead to meditation. And when we are saturated in God’s Word (meditation) we will love and follow the Truth and reject our own and the world’s empty or false thoughts and ways.
Hi Lynette, You’re right. That’s what psalm 1 teaches.