Meditation and Memorization of Scripture
By Colonel Genevera Vincent
I remember with great fondness my Sunday School days as a child. I can still visualize many of the lesson pictures from the Scripture Press material. I remember many of the responsive scripture readings and, of course, the flannel graph stories. I know I’m dating myself, but I have a feeling there are those reading this right now who share some of these fond memories from your Sunday School days!
Back then, studying God’s word and memorization of scripture was a big deal. One of the first…if not the first verse I memorized as a child (from the King James Version of course) was Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”
I am grateful to say that I have been hiding God’s word in my heart ever since then, and his word, his promises never get old. It’s amazing how a reflection on God’s word can ground you during a difficult situation with verses coming to mind that set you on a right path. This has been proven many times in my life. When I’m afraid or anxious, often a verse will come to mind that reminds me of the goodness and faithfulness of God and the anxious feelings subside and the fear diminishes.
In this age of Google and Siri, when we can call something up in an instant, this idea of scripture memorization can be a dying art. People may question, “When I have so much information at my beck and call, why tire the brain with memorization?” I would propose that this is very flawed thinking. Hiding God’s word in our hearts means that we have committed to memory those verses and passages that buoy us up when life gets tough…and even when life is good! Remember, you can’t recall what you have not previously learned. It’s important to know God’s word and be able to recall and recite verses that bring encouragement to yourself and others, as well as stabilize us all during difficult times.
My maternal grandfather suffered a debilitating stroke when he was 68 years old. Sadly, it left him paralyzed and unable to walk or talk. He lived for 10 years following his stroke and most of that time he was bedridden. What amazed so many is that, while he was unable to speak, he was still able to sing! He had a beautiful, strong, singing voice and while lying in bed, unable to walk or talk, he blessed many while he sang hymns and gospel songs that he had committed to memory prior to his stroke. He was unable to learn anything new but the songs he had previously learned brought comfort and inspiration to him and to many others.
Meditating on God’s word and memorization of scripture is encouraged all throughout the Bible. In Deuteronomy 11:18-21, the people of Israel were instructed to have God’s word in their heart and mind. This truly speaks to meditating and memorizing. Jeremiah speaks of God’s words as becoming a part of him when he wrote in Jeremiah 15:16, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.” In the New Testament, this appreciation for God’s word continues. Colossians 3:16 is a verse I especially love. It states, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” Towards the end of the Bible in Hebrews 4:12, we are reminded, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
In this age, when so much is “up for grabs”, we need more than ever to know God’s word, to meditate on it, and to memorize those precious promises that will see us through the highs and lows of life.
My meditation on God’s word has become richer since I became an empty nester. Sure, I read the Bible when my kids were still at home, but sometimes that time was interrupted with the duties of being a mother and taxiing my children from one place to another. Since becoming an empty nester, my time in the God’s word is usually uninterrupted and I am often amazed at the nuggets I find in scripture that somehow jump off the page to me. I wonder, “how did I not see this before?!?!” God’s word is certainly living and active!
I often think of my grandfather and what a rich treasure he had during the most difficult time of his life. Because he had committed songs to memory about God’s goodness and faithfulness, they carried him through when he couldn’t put them into a spoken word. I have often thought what a tragedy it would have been if he didn’t have a song in his heart and in his mind for when he needed it most.
How important it is for us as we seek to flourish in the spiritual disciplines, to meditate on God’s word and to hide his Word deep in our hearts. James 1:25 is a great reminder of this value, “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”
Get into the word today, memorize it, and be blessed by the fruit it bears in your life!
