How many of you are memorizing as much Scripture as you know you should? What about the rest of your family? Sadly, I have had the Word of God around me most of my life, in church, classes, and personal Bible study --- but have given little brain time to memorize it. I know I'm not alone. Any time Scripture memory is mentioned, automatically the sea of faces turns downcast. We know we should be doing it. But we aren't doing it.
Let me share my latest and greatest personal victory in this area that not only increased my personal scripture memory but that of my children as well.
Last year on New Year's Day, I presented each of my girls (that can read) an empty small spiral notebook from the dollar store. I announced to the fam that we would be responsible for writing down one verse per page to memorize. The verses could come from Sunday School, books you are reading, or out of your personal devotional time. At the end of the year, on New Year's Eve, we would recite our verses to the rest of the family in the Strange Family Verse-a-Thon!
I set out to memorize one verse per week, which I admit, is a little lame. But I had tried to meet this lousy goal for two years and failed, so 52 sounded like a huge endeavor. To plan my success, I put the notebook on the treadmill. Every time I walked I repeated those words until they were in my head. I also scheduled time during the evening for my daughters to work on their verses. And I asked them periodically how it was going. They had to show me their books and talk about their progress. I let them determine the number of verses they memorized.
On New Year's Eve -- just after the pizza -- but before the chocolate fondue extravaganza we always enjoy --- each of us took turns reciting our book of verses to the family. To my delight -- and my husband's shame --- we, together quoted 114 verses! Not bad for first-timers! To my daughters' delight -- their dad was so encouraged, he agreed to give them $1 for every verse they recited as well as a promise to do the same in 2012! And, he has joined us!
You can do something like this youself. Believe, me, I have had a plethera of excuses, such as: I can't; it's too hard; it just doesn't stick in my brain; I have four small children; I'm in the middle of graduate school and my brain is too tired; and my most utilized excuse-- I would love to, but there is no time.
But the Word trumps all my excuses...and yours:
These commands I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deut. 6:6-7
Think about holding your own version of the Strange Verse-a-Thon in 2012. Although getting God's word in our hearts and to the hearts of our children should be something the ordianary Christian does -- we know it's not. Live Beyond Ordinary. Memorize the Word.
