Day 18: Meditate on it {Tools for memorizing}
TO DO
* Pray through the chapter.
Use today to slowly move through the words in your mind, in your heart, in your soul. Let them sink deep with no pressure to memorize, but just to meditate on.
Isaiah 12 (ESV)
1 You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
4 And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.
6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
TODAY’S TIP
* Don’t always try to memorize.
There is definitely a time to take one word at a time, to pull the verse apart, to analyze each piece. But there needs to be other times where we ingest it whole—with God—for the integral message he’s sending us. Weekends can be good times for the latter, for periods of reflecting without thinking so hard, just to let the intent of God’s truth wash over us and through us.
FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT
I appreciate your encouragement and tips on scripture memory that you’ve been leaving in the comments this month. Here’s one more day of comments from you to me, back to you.
“It is those scriptures I park in so I could research them that has stuck in my mind for years. Well worth the time it takes to go deeper then just reading.”
– Betty
“I printed Isaiah 12 out in a great big bold font and tucked it under the picture that hangs over my desk. I’ve started sitting with that first verse.”
– Linda
“For me, giving words a cadence, like a song, makes it easier.”
– Floyd
“In 2005 I went through a really bad time of depression which lasted 2-3 years but through it I discovered that I could really know Christ and have a relationship with him. I filled many journals and memorized a lot of scripture during that time. Two scripture verses that meant a lot to me were Psalm 63 and Psalm 40:1-3.”
– Pam
“Till reading, I thought this first letters idea was mad. Now I realise it is just like the Kitty-Levin proposal scene in Anna Karenina! Also, writing out the initials of a verse with my finger on the bedsheet was quite a nice thing to do.”
– David
“I actually have a Bible memorization app that makes the words disappear by putting in blanks, but the 1st letter thing is a nice in-between step.
Regarding commentaries, I really love the outline commentary from David Guzik at BlueLetterBible.com. He hasn’t done the entire Bible, but quite a bit of it. I find it easier to read and more practical than Matthew Henry.”
– Lyli
“I’ve used the Navigators memory system in the past and it worked really well for me.”
– June
LINKS and Week-in-Review
- Fight Verse program
- Day 11: Pray through it
- Day 12: Add more words
- Day 13: Research the text
- Day 14: Notice first words
- Day 15: Why are you memorizing
- Day 16: Share it, review it
- Day 17: Say it out loud
* * *
Are you taking time to spend time with God underneath the words, not just memorize the words? Please share in the comments.
When I was younger it seemed easier to memorize scripture…but sometimes it was just “facts” I had memorized.
Now that I’m older I have difficulty memorizing scripture but I know the meanings behind the verses. I take time to meditate on the Word of God and apply it to my life. I’m learning to pray the verses and it’s bringing depth to my prayer life.
I may not always have the scriptures memorized exactly, but I know more intimately than I used too.
Now to just combine the two. Both are important for our Christian walk.
Thanks for challenging me memorize God’s Holy Word.
Yes, you explained this so well! We may not be able to memorize word for word like we could when we were younger, but we understand God in a deeper way than we could back then. Praying the verses is such a wonderful way to confirm truth we hear from God, straight back to God in belief. Congratulations again on your newest addition! I know you’re probably busier than ever so thanks for dropping in to visit.
Now I have a couple of Psalms inside me, I am finding phrases come to me unbidden at random times of day, or maybe not so random. “To you I lift up my eyes” (Ps 123), “Praise the Lord.” (Ps 150).
Praying the Scripture is something I need a bit more privacy for, but I like the way the Scripture is starting to find its way around the rest of my life.
Thank you!
Oh, how I love to hear this! Having the phrases come to you “unbidden” is a beautiful and mysterious thing, definitely of the Spirit.
Why am I doing it?
Having read Isaiah earlier this year I already feel a million miles away from his words.
I really do need to print the verses out now, not done that yet as i have the scripture typer app on my phone and tend to use that.
Thanks for your continuing support Lisa x
I use Scripture Typer so much myself. That and looking at 1st letters are probably the main tools that help me memorize. I don’t use the phone app as much as my laptop, but I’m glad it’s there when I do want it. So glad you’re hanging in here with us, Beverley.