Psalm 37:30–31; 119:11
It has been more than a decade since I took any kind of math class. The math class I disliked the most was trigonometry. I took exception to trigonometry because it required so much memory work. I wanted so badly to ask my teacher why she made us memorize so much. “In the ‘real world,’ won’t we have access to all of these formulas?” I wanted to ask.
All of these years later, I realize why my teacher made us memorize formulas. Even though we could’ve accessed them through the Internet or a textbook, sometimes memorization is about more than access. When it comes to important information, understanding is good; internalization is better. When we make the effort to keep something in our minds, it often makes its way into our hearts as well. This is especially true of God’s inspired Word.
Psalms 37:31 and 119:11 speak of God’s Word or His law abiding in the heart. The Hebrew word lēb, translated as “heart” in our English Bibles, refers to the inner person: the mind, affection, and will. It is the source of thoughts, emotions, and intentions. For God’s Word to be hidden in the lēb, there must be some level of memorization.
I know many people believe they are incapable of memorization. While we all possess unique strengths, most of us really can memorize information we deem important. Have you memorized your address? Can you recall the names of your favorite athletes on your favorite sports team? You likely memorized those pieces of information through the following process:
- 1) You desired the information, perhaps out of need. For whatever reason, you felt the urgency of remembering the information without relying on having it in writing.
- 2) You repeatedly exposed yourself to it. Whether writing your address on outgoing mail or listening to sports announcers calling out a player’s name, you repeatedly and frequently exposed yourself to the information.
- 3) You practiced recalling it. You might have been filling out a form or chatting with a fellow fan, but you used the information without looking at your driver’s license or the team roster.
Even if this process was accidental, you were memorizing! The same process can be applied to the memorization of Scripture. Purposefully take God’s Word into your mind and heart. Let it guard you against sin and saturate your prayers. You can do it, and it will bless you!
When is the last time you purposefully memorized a passage of Scripture?
Clay Leonard