The importance of memorizing Scripture

The year is AD 29 and your brother, Lucas, stops by the house to eat some of immah’s (Hebrew for mommy) food and tell a story of a strange man who attended Caleb and Chloe’s wedding in Cana the week before.

“The wine for the celebration had run out, and Caleb and his family were about to become the laughingstock of Galilee. But there was a guest named Mary who brought her son to one of the servants and told him to do whatever her son asked of him.” Lucas paused, remembering the miracle that had taken place right before his eyes. “You’ll never believe what happened next!” He cries, grabbing you by the shoulders.

“Tell me!” You shout back with enthusiasm.

“That woman’s son told the servant to have six purification jars filled with water—six large vessels—60 gallons of water!”

“And?”

“And when they were filled to the brim, the servant was instructed to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” Lucas can’t contain his excitement and begins jumping up and down. “The water had turned to wine!” He takes your hands in his and spins you in a circle. “Did you hear me, sister? The water had turned to wine!”

“How is that possible?” You stop the dance and stare quizzically into your brother’s glimmering brown eyes.

“It’s a miracle!” He shouts. “I don’t know who that man is, but I do know he is a miracle worker! Come with me, sister! We must know who he is and how he is able to do such things.”

(The story of Jesus’ first miracle can be found in John 2:1-12)

When Jesus turned water to wine, those at the wedding must have freaked out. Who is this man? What else can he do? From that point on, He was like a monkey at the zoo—on display for all to see. He couldn’t go anywhere without being followed. Perhaps that was the reason He hesitated when His mother asked Him to take care of the wine problem.

A few random thoughts:

• Fame seems attractive until you experience a total loss of privacy and can’t get a moment to yourself. Jesus’ fame was necessary. In order for Him to do the work His Father sent Him to do, He faithfully stepped into it.

• There is something to be said for anonymity. The Bible verse that comes to mind is 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 where Paul instructs believers to aspire to live quiet lives. Do you think this is a good goal to have? Why or why not?

Question: Do I seek fame for the praise of my Father? Or, do I seek fame for the praise of self? OUCH!

Make It Personal: Jesus walks through the front door and takes a seat on your couch. Would you keep Him to yourself or call your friends and family? Would you spend most of your time on your face or pepper Him with all the questions you’re determined to ask God when you get to Heaven?

If the Son of God was on my couch, I’m pretty sure I’d be sitting as close as possible, soaking up whatever He had to say. If able to perform simple tasks in His presense, I’d take copious notes and record His voice to play over and over and over.

Hard Questions:
1. If people of faith are interested in knowing what Jesus has to say, why do so many leave their Bibles on the shelf to gather dust?

2. If Jesus performed a water-to-wine kind of miracle at your friend’s wedding, how would you respond?

3. Do you consider God inspiring men to write a book so His image-bearers could know Him and make Him known a miracle?

Think of it this way—Jesus, the Living Word, gave us His written Word so we can know what He has to say. Let’s get to know Him by storing those words in our hearts.

Is Scripture Memorization Important or Necessary? I would say there are several good reasons to memorize Scripture and very few reasons not to.

Good Reasons:

1. The psalmist says, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:10-11). When we have God’s Word stored within our hearts/minds, it is far easier to be prepared for and fight off sin’s temptation.
   

2. The apostle Peter tells Christians, “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you… (1 Peter 3:15).” The task of giving a strong defense for the hope we have in Christ requires knowledge of His Word.
   
   Question: If someone asked you about the hope you have, would you be ready? Imagine being able to respond to questions or doubts with Biblical truths stored in your heart/mind. How much would that fortify your witness as a faithful Christ-followers who take Scripture seriously?
   

3. We are told in Ephesians 6:10-20 to take up the whole armor of God in order to stand against the schemes of the devil and all forces of darkness. Verse 17 tells us to take up the “sword of the Spirit,” which is the Word of God. It is what Jesus used to defend Himself when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:1-13).
   

4. The Bible is clear that a time is coming when “they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:9-14).” This isn’t pleasant to think about, but it is where the rubber meets the road—the place we decide if we’re really “all in.”
   
   This made the list of reasons to memorize Scripture because, as much as we don’t want to think about it, there may come a time when we won’t have access to the Bible. It is already a reality for some people in our world.
   
   The Voice of the Martyrs published a list of countries where the Bible is illegal and/or severely punished. (https://www.persecution.com/bibles/)
   

5. To be more aware of God’s will for your life. Romans 12:2 tells us not to “conform to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you will discern what is the will of God.” Renewing our minds is to change from thinking like the world to thinking according to the truth of the Bible. Memorizing Scripture is a great way to intentionally pursue the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

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Bad Reasons:

1. “I just can’t memorize.” I hear lots of people say they don’t have the ability to memorize Scripture. For some this may be true; for others it may be an excuse. In either case, if you are someone who struggles to memorize, I would encourage you to pray asking God’s help in this endeavor.
   
   James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” My friend, Monika, testifies that she really wanted to memorize Scripture but had never been able to. She prayed asking God for help and was able to memorize not one verse or one passage but the entire book of James!
   

2. “God promises to give me something to say when it’s necessary.” It is true Jesus taught His disciples, “do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very moment what you ought to say (Luke 12:11-12).” When Jesus made this promise, He was encouraging disciples who would soon face persecution. Notice what precedes this promise: “When (not if) they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself…”
   
   That is not to say that the ministry of the Holy Spirit doesn’t include prompts when we find ourselves in difficult conversations or frightening situations. He wants us to depend on Him, but He also wants us to work at storing His Word in our hearts. Here are a few reminders to do so:
   
   Psalm 1:1-6
   Colossians 3:16
   Romans 12:2
   John 15:7
   Deuteronomy 11:18
   Joshua 1:8
   Matthew 4:4
   2 Timothy 3:16-17