I am horrible at memorization. Seriously. Always have been and always will be. So when it comes to memorizing large chunks of Scripture, I can manage to meet a deadline, and I'll practice over and over, adding hand motions, memory associations, singsongy melodies, and anything else I can think of. Still, two weeks later: poof. It's all gone from my mind.
But I know there is value in storing God's Word in mind and heart, and I have decided that walking for 6 hours a day over the course of 3 weeks will afford me some perfect time to really hone in on a chunk of Scripture. Maybe the repetition of many days will add something new I've never tried before. My plan is to print out verses or sections on ring cards to carry in a pocket with me.
I have a few passages in mind that I either enjoy or have some kind of connection to, but do you have any suggestions? Favorite chapters? I'm open to ideas!
I would shoot for the book of Philippians or Colossians. They both flow nicely and are filled with awesome theological yet practical profundities!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say Philippians or Colossians, too! The book of James is really rich as well. I spent a whole year memorizing Colossians, mostly while out running. But I didn't have a good review system, so I've forgotten most of it already. I have also enjoyed memorizing some of my favorite Psalms (1, 8, 19, 23, 24, 25 . . .). Those feel more manageable since they're shorter, yet they're also complete within themselves. For whatever reason, the Psalms have stuck in my memory better than Colossians did.
ReplyDeleteDespite the feeling of "poof it's gone," I have found that even forgotten verses will come back to me when the Spirit has something to say. It's worth memorizing every bit even if it's just for the meditation of the moment and the Spirit's promptings of the future. Sometimes I think that hiding the Word in our hearts means the Scripture is actually hidden from us some of the time!
James
ReplyDeleteI've been memorizing Ephesians this year. I've been in chapter 2 for a long time, but it's a really rich chapter so it's OK. All about God's lavish grace. And some of it fits to the tune of "Dixie" so.....
ReplyDelete