Making Scripture Memory a Priority?

The “whys” and “hows” of memorizing scripture have been a topic of interest lately in my teaching and posts on social media. The following post from Dr. Alice Cullinan, retired professor at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC - struck a chord with many.

She writes . . .

When I was teaching a class at Gardner-Webb to ministerial students, I gave them two 20 question quizzes the same morning. One of the quizzes consisted of themes or statements made in commercials, and they had to name the product. The other quiz consisted of very basic biblical questions about people or places. Which one do you think they did the best on? Yep, the commercials. I asked them why they knew more commercials than Bible answers. I asked them if they had made an effort to memorize the commercials. Nope, was their response. We then concluded that the difference was simple exposure. Our lesson? We should read the Bible often enough, and verses we want to learn often enough, that they become a part of us!

I know by experience, that applying a scripture word by word or phrase by phrase, to a current life situation – helps me to memorize it. As I work my way through the situation at hand, I intentionally think of the portion I want to memorize, making it relevant.

The challenge is clear. Become familiar enough with God’s Word to know the scriptures that apply to what you’re going through. Then, MEMORIZE THEM.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword!

(Hebrews 4:12)