Memory verses are and have been a staple of Sunday school for generations. Parents and teachers work hard to help children master certain verses and keep them in their minds. This is a great way to get young people well versed in scripture and to help them better understand what we believe. It also perfectly aligns with the scripture that tells us to train up children in the faith while they are young so they will keep it throughout their life.
Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)
6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Sadly though many, myself included, leave memory verses behind when they move on from Sunday school. Allowing other things to take a higher level of importance than the life-giving word of God. Which honestly a great shame in the Christian culture.
The truth is no one ever reaches a point in life when it is time to stop memorizing scripture. Especially when we read the Bible and see all it says about keeping the scripture in our hearts and meditating on it day and night.
Joshua 1:8 (ESV)
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Revelation 1:3 (ESV)
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
One could try to argue that they spend enough time in the world to suffice. But while the daily study of the Bible is important and something we are instructed to do in scripture. It is still not the same as taking the time to memorize scripture.
I do not say this to brag or seem pious but I personally spend a large amount of time reading and studying the Bible. But take my Bible away and I would be hard-pressed to recite many of the most important verses to the faith. All because my goal is not to memorize but to read and learn.
Which is great up to a point. But when you reach a situation where one catches you will out a Bible and begins to ask about the hope you have in Christ. You only have a few random passages stored in memory to share with them. Whereas someone who has made a point to keep scoring up memory verses would b able to easily have with them. Even sharing the word itself which is what builds faith.
1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)
15 but 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; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Romans 10:17 (ESV)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Or even when you are faced with an attack from the enemy. In which you are being tempted and need to respond as Jesus did in the wilderness when he was tempted. But without the scripture stored in your heart, it will be hard to pull out the right verse right when you need it. To overcome the temptation and keep yourself from falling to sin.
Matthew 4:3–4 (ESV)
3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Matthew 4:9–10 (ESV)
9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
These are only a few reasons why Christians should memorize scripture. I could list many more instances where knowing the word by heart would have a great impact. We all even have our own personal reasons as to why we need more of the Word in our hearts. For me, it would be really nice to not constantly be looking for that verse that I know but just can’t place where it is when writing an article like this.
I must also say for all the parents who are wanting their children to work hard on their memory verses. You cant expect your child to do something that you yourself are not willing to do as well. Lead by example and show just how important it is to memorize scripture by doing it with them.
All Christians no matter the age should make it a priority in their life to memorize scripture. Not that we should all try to memorize the whole bible even though it wouldn’t hurt. But that we should take ourselves by to Sunday school and try to master one memory verse a week. I am willing to bet that it would have a greater impact on our lives then we can currently imagine!
Do you agree that Christians need to always be working on memory verses? Then show it by sharing this article on your social media by clicking on one of the icons on this page. By doing so you are exposing others to the truth contacted in this article. While also helping us to continue our mission to reach the world with the Good News! Thanks and God Bless!
Visit Justin’s personal website Here. Or see articles from other writers we feature Here. Also, be sure to stop by our prayer wall.