***Giveaway closed*** Stay tuned for a special challenge at the end of this post to celebrate our newest study, Psalm 40!
“Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me” (John 15:4).
Over the course of my life, I’ve seen no deeper transformation in my spiritual life than when I am walking with the Lord daily and abiding in His word. In recent years, the Lord has given me a desire to meditate on His Word through Scripture memory. As I’ve worked on this spiritual discipline, there are a few different approaches that stand out as most helpful to me:
1. Scripture memory card box
Just this year, I bought a pack of 52 Scripture memory cards. I have a box that sits in my kitchen, where I most often find myself throughout my day. I’ve created 40 labeled tabs: “daily,” “even,” “odd,” (numbered 1-30), and a tab for each day of the week. I began by putting one verse behind the daily tab and working on memorizing one verse a week. I review it daily and say it to myself on my commute to work, while working, changing diapers, giving baths, making bottles, etc.
Once I feel that I know that verse, I move it back to the “even” or “odd” tab and review it on the days of the month that fall within those categories, continuing to move it back a tab as I add another verse into my weekly or daily rotation. Some weeks, I have no problem memorizing another verse. Other weeks, I feel like I know the words but sense the Lord wanting me to meditate on a certain verse longer. As a person who thrives on checking things off a list, my prayer has been for the Word of Christ to take root in my heart and not just my head. After all, if I memorize 52 verses this year but am no closer to Him than when I first began, what would be the point?
“Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:16).
2. Meditation through song
Another helpful way I’ve found to memorize Scripture is to quite literally get it stuck in my head through song. Whether it’s one of my son’s children’s songs (Seed’s Family Worship and Scripture Lullabies are two we have on repeat) or playing some of my favorite Scripture albums on my drive into work (Shane & Shane’s Psalms albums are great), meditation through song never fails to help me to hear His Word with fresh ears and reorient my heart to His truths. So often, as I am listening to Scripture through music, the words stand out to me in a new way, drawing me to open my Bible to see the context of the verse that’s captured my heart. It’s been amazing to see the Lord open my eyes to new truths about Him in this unconventional way.
3. Visual repetition
As a visual learner, I retain information most quickly by seeing and doing. Often, writing a section of verses and reading them aloud has helped me memorize Scripture, and when I have just a few minutes to spare and no pen or paper on hand, I’ve found opening a new note on my phone and typing out the verse works just as well!
4. Memory games
A friend recently shared with me that she writes the first letter of each word of a verse on her hand or on a note to put in her pocket, and she uses this to call to mind the verse throughout her day. I’ve also benefited from making my own fill-in-the-blank cards to review.
No matter how elementary it may feel, it’s important to find what works best for you and your personal learning style. Above all, it’s most important to be disciplined as you seek to hide the truth in your heart, reviewing Scripture often, and asking the Lord for the ability to do so with the right motivation. I have found His Word to be truly living and active and am so encouraged by how Scripture memorization keeps my eyes and heart focused on Him.
“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Kaitlin Redmond serves as a graphic designer on the Lifeway Women team. She’s a native of Nashville, TN, and considers herself a homebody. She and her husband Chris get to be parents to their sweet baby boy, Jack. She loves spending time in the Word with women, exercising, and going on picnics in the backyard with her family. The Lord has given her a rich community of women who have inspired a love for God’s Word and a desire to know Him deeper. You can follow her on Instagram @kaitlin_redmond.
Looking for a fun way to start memorizing Scripture?
From June 18-28, we’re going to be hosting an Instagram Scripture memory challenge to celebrate our newest Bible study, Psalm 40!
All you have to do is…
- Memorize the first three verses of Psalm 40
- Record yourself saying them from memory
- Post it to your Instagram feed or stories
- Tag @LifewayWomen.
Then, we’ll choose a winner to receive a special prize pack! To help you get started, we’ve created a few printables and downloads for you. Just click the images or links below to download:
Wallpapers