The delightful results of memorizing the Bible

This is the final post in my series on Bible memorization. Today I'll talk about the "why" of memorizing Bible passages and the impact this has had on me. You can read part 1 here, part 2 here and part 3 here.

God's word written on three-by-five inch index cards: it doesn't sound like much of a weapon. But there I was, sitting on the floor, staring out the window, repeating words scribbled on the index card in my hand: "...do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own..." (Matt 6:34).

I was twenty-five years old, four years married, and filled with anxious questions about the future. I'd never set out to memorize whole Bible passages, and I'm not sure what prompted me now; but I chose Philippians 4:4-9 and Matthew 6:19-34 and committed them to memory. Slowly but surely - and I still remember how miraculous this felt! - my worries actually went away. The battle against anxiety was won with a set of Bible passages written out by hand, driven into my head through sheer repetition, and pressed into my heart by the Holy Spirit. Anxiety is still one of my chief struggles; but at least I now have a weapon close at hand.

 Old fashioned. Unpopular. Weird. Those are a few words that spring to mind when I think about Bible memorization; but I've experienced the delightful results of this neglected practice, and I can't shut up about it. Here are seven of the benefits. I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones that stand out for me.

• Memorization won't let us skim the surface of God's word. The Hebrew words for "meditate" literally mean to "mutter",1 and that's what happens when you memorize: whether you write, sing or speak, you tell God's word over and over to yourself. When I read silently, or even study a passage, it's easy to skip words and phrases, and see only what I expect to see. Memorization forces me to stop and say every word, so that passages I thought I knew well surprise me. Even when I forget what I learned, the act of memorization forces me deeper into the Bible and the Bible deeper into me.
• Memorization fuels meditation and prayer. One of the signs we belong to God is that we delight to meditate on God's word "day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2; 119:97, 148; Josh 1:8). But how can we do this if God's word isn't available, right there in our minds, in the odd moments between activities and during the empty hours of the night? JI Packer says,

  Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God...It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself; it is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God's power and grace.2

  More than any other practice, Bible memorization fuels my meditation, helping me to preach God's word to myself and turn it into prayer and praise.
• Memorization transforms our minds, emotions and choices by turning our thoughts to Christ. How does true change come? By the renewing of our minds, as we look to Jesus and set our thoughts on him (Rom 12:1-2; Col 3:1-17; Heb 12:1-2). Our thoughts and desires are, of all things, most difficult to master; yet discipline them we must. Memorizing God's word lays a new set of thought patterns over those that come naturally to us. It transforms our hopes, desires and choices as God's truth cajoles and pummels them into a more Christ-centred form. Most amazingly for me, it even shapes my emotions, slowly but surely changing despair into hope, fear into trust, and self-pity into joy.
• Memorization is a help in times of struggle. Some of us face suffering when we are younger, some when we grow older; but suffering comes to all of us, bringing sorrow, doubt and fear. Grief over a child's sickness, the struggle with depression, the temptation to grow weary and give up: in times like this, passages like Romans 8:18-30 and  1 Peter 1:3-9 have become my solid stepping-stones in the dark. They give words and purpose to my pain, affirm the faith I don't feel, reassure me that God hasn't let me go, give me courage to endure, and remind me that Jesus trod the path of suffering and is now in glory.
• Memorization puts the Spirit's weapon in our hands. The word of God is a sword in the Spirit's hands, uncovering sin and equipping us for the fight (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12).3 But a sword isn't much use if we leave it in its scabbard. In a battle with envy, despair, lust or anger, I don't need my only offensive weapon in a book on my shelf or on my iDevice. I want the words of God inside me, ready to be picked up and used by God's Spirit. "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11 cf. Matt 4:1-11; Josh 1:8).
• Memorization is for others. It's tempting to turn memorization into just another pious practice, another means to personal change; but the Bible is not just for me, but for others. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom" (Col 3:16). Like a glass so full that it overflows, the words of God poured into our minds will spill out through our lips, encouraging our brothers and sisters and equipping them for service (2 Tim 3:16-17) and helping others to come to know Jesus through his powerful word (Isa 55:10-11).
• Memorization is an expression of love. What we choose (and don't choose) to remember shows what matters to us: the words of a song; a child's birthday; a friend's phone number. A miser counts his gold. A collector pores over her treasures. And we leave our Bibles on the shelf! Perhaps, in the end, the best reason for memorizing the Bible is simply because we love it and want to make it our own (Psalm 119:72, 103, 127, 131): the wisdom in our thoughts, the music of our hearts, the power in our words.

Why memorize the Bible? There's no "have to" about Bible memorization! If I spend time reading and studying and reflecting on God's word, it will make its way inside me without me deliberately remembering it. In fact, if memorization becomes mechanical or magical or the indispensable mark of spiritual maturity, we'd be better off engaging with God's word in other ways.

(But here's another question: why not memorize the Bible? Why do we emphasize Bible reading and study so much, and not memorization? My guess it's got something to do with the fact that we're an electronic and print culture, not a memory-based culture. We assume that we will always have our Bibles with us, forgetting that, one day, they may be unavailable to us or taken from us. Perhaps it's time to revive some old skills.)

They said that when you pricked John Bunyan, he bled Bible. That's my goal. I want to bleed Bible all over my death-bed and my life as well. I want to carry my lamp with me so it can illumine my path. I want my tools to hand so I can teach and train others. I want God's sword in my heart, probing my actions and motives. I want to open the door and invite his word in to dwell in me richly. I want it written across my forehead and my doors and the inside of my skull, so I can think it and speak it and pray it and live it day and night.

That's why I memorize God's word.

Have you tried memorizing God's word? What have been the benefits? Share them with us, and challenge and encourage us.

1. From the Olive Tree article Meditating on God's word.
2. From chapter 1 of JI Packer's "Knowing God".
3. Spirit and word go together: compare the parallel passages  Eph 5:18-20 and  Col 3:15-17.

This post first appeared at The Briefing.

image is by chefranden at flickr

a smorgasbord of Bible memorization methods (and one way to learn whole books)

This is the second post in my series on memorizing Bible passages. You can read part 1 here and part 2 here. Next time I'll conclude with the "why" of Bible memorization, and the impact it's had on me; but today I want to talk about the "how".

They say that memory is dead. Socrates sounded its death knell back in the days when books began to replace oral culture - for who needs to remember what's been written down? Now we've gone one better with the outsourcing of memory to electronic devices.1 It's said that human beings have forgotten how to remember.

I'm sure there's some truth in that, but I won't accept it. The human brain is infinitely adaptable, and we can re-learn skills we've long forgotten. As we exercise our brains, we lay down new neural pathways, and what was once difficult becomes easy and even enjoyable.2 We might be a little rusty at first, but memorization will come easier with time.

Every Bible memorization method has one or more of the three Rs at its heart: Repeat, Recall, Review. Repeat a passage over and over until you're familiar with it; practise recalling it until it's worn a path in your memory; then review it so you don't lose it. But there are different ways to do these three things,3 and not all of them will suit you.

So what I want to do today is give you a smorgasbord of ways to memorize the Bible: twenty suggestions that cover everything from preparing a passage for memorization to reviewing the passages you've learned. You might like to sample a few of these ideas, separately and in combination, until you develop a method that suits you.

Prepare
Survey it. Before you start memorizing a passage, it's helpful to familiarise yourself with it: read through it a few times and notice the structure and key themes; draw a diagram or mind-map of the passage; or write it out and circle repeated words and ideas.

Visualise it. As you read the passage, pay attention to how it looks on the page. Notice paragraph breaks, patterns and repeated words. Fix an image of how it looks in your mind so you can "read" it mentally.

See it. Stick the passage over the kitchen sink, on your shower screen or mirror, or on your screen saver. The more often you see it, the better you'll remember it. In fact, if you see it often enough, you'll never need to consciously learn it.

Carry it. Print out the passage, write it on index cards, or put it on an electronic device, stick it in your bag or pocket, and take it wherever you go. That way you can revise it when you're in the doctor's waiting room, on the train, or have a few spare minutes during your lunch break.

Repeat
Read it. This is the simplest method of memorization: read the passage over and over, perhaps once a day, until it's in your head. It's a great method to use with those you live with: read the passage out loud together daily; as you get to know it, recite it together from memory; and conclude by testing each others' knowledge and celebrating what you've learned.4

Say it. Out loud or under your breath. Whenever you get the chance. When you're waiting in traffic, going for a walk, or in the shower. Hearing yourself say it will help you remember it.

Write it. Copy a passage from the Bible over and over, perhaps daily, until you're familiar with it; then write it from memory and check it against the Bible. When kids learn spelling, they call it "Look. Cover. Write. Check." It works well for Bible memorization too.

Hear it. Listen to the passage in an audio version of the Bible, or record your own voice reading it and play it back to yourself using whatever technology you prefer. Listen to it over and over, while going about your normal life, until it sinks in.5

Walk it. Repeat it out loud as you walk or run - or even dance. It's said that this engages both hemispheres of the brain. You may find it useful to walk a repeated sequence, either physically or in your head, as you learn each part of the passage.

Sing it. Many mums, Sunday school teachers and kids have learned their Bible verses from Colin Buchanen.6 Listening to Sons of Korah or other sung versions of the psalms is a great way to learn them.7 Lots of Bible passages have been set to music; ask a musician from church, or source them online.


Recall
Read. Recall. Check. Read the first phrase, sentence or verse of your passage out loud a few times, then cover it and repeat it, saying or writing it from memory. Check it. If you got it wrong, repeat it again, then check it again. Once you get it right, repeat it three times without looking. Learn the next verse in the same way. Join the two verses together, repeat from memory, and check. Practise any phrases you got wrong three times, then say it all together again. Continue, adding a verse at a time until you can say a whole paragraph correctly. Come back to it the next day and repeat the process, adding a few more verses.

Reflect and pray. Once you've lodged a passage in your brain, meditate on it. Say it, out loud or in your mind, one phrase or verse at a time. Pause and think about the meaning of each phrase, and turn it into prayer or praise. Suck every drop of goodness from God's word.

Use it. Lying awake at night? Repeat a Bible passage (don't worry about getting it word-perfect, just let it run through your mind and check it in the morning). Chatting with a friend? Share an insight from a passage you're learning. Discouraged? Pray through a passage, driving it deep into your emotions. The more you recall it, the better you'll know it.

Reinforce
Trace word patterns. If you're stuck on a verse, you'll recall it more easily if you make a mental note of the word patterns: for example, it might include three words starting with "s". Lists are tricky to learn, but easier once you see the patterns: when I say "T(hrones), P(owers), R(ulers), A(uthorities)", it traces a curve down and up and down the alphabet in my mind (see  Colossians 1:16).

Know the "why". It's easier to be motivated if you know why you're learning. When I memorize a book of the Bible, I know I'll remember the passages I have a reason for learning, so I assign a meaning to each paragraph as I come to it. Will I pray it for my children? Will it help me not to worry? Will it teach me a new truth about God?

Learn it with others. Agree to memorize Bible passages at the same time as your friends, family or small group, then get together and test each other. Many of us are more motivated when learning with others. And you'll be encouraging them too!

Study it. The more time you spend in a passage, the better you'll remember it. Ask questions of each verse. Note down the main themes and observe the flow of the argument. Read a commentary or listen to a sermon on the passage. Do whatever you can to make it yours.

Teach it. It's often said that we recall 90% of what we teach. It worked for me with the gospel outline Two Ways to Live, and that includes a series of solitary verses, which I find harder to learn than passages. Once I taught the course a few times, the outline was fixed in my mind forever.

Review
Forget it. John Piper says he forgets 90% of the verses he learns. I'd say this is pretty accurate for me too! Far from finding this discouraging, I'm glad God's word has become familiar and worked in me as I've memorized on it. But there are some passages I've made my own. It's worth selecting a few passages to remember forever, and making the effort to review them.8

Review it. You will gradually lose passages you don't review, and the ones you remember will develop blank spots and mistakes. So take time to review what you learn. Perhaps every time you memorize something new, you could stop to review a few passages learned previously. Or use a pattern like this: once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year for a lifetime, and it's yours forever.

What if you want to learn whole books of the Bible? This is surprisingly achievable. It's a fantastic exercise, because it helps you put verses in context, absorb every part of a book, and see how it fits together. Start with a single chapter like Isaiah 53, or learn a book of 4 to 8 chapters like Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians or Romans 1-8. Here's the method I use:9

I print out the chapters I want to learn in two columns on A4 paper, which I fold lengthwise and then a couple more times until it's pocket-sized. (An electronic version would do just as well for the technologically endowed.)

I put it in my pocket and go for a walk. I find that the rhythm of walking perfectly accompanies the rhythm of memorization.

I pull the printed passage out of my pocket, and memorize the first few verses using the "Read. Recall. Check." method, glancing at the words and saying them under my breath.

On the next day's walk, I revise the verses I've already learned and add a few more. To revise a section, I cover it with another folded piece of paper, and move it gradually down the page to check each line after I've said it.

Once I've memorized a whole chapter, I put it to one side and learn the next; at the end of each chapter, I go back and revise earlier chapters.

I memorize as much as I can during the first ten minutes of my walk, then stop for the day. This segues beautifully into prayer during the rest of my walk, as I reflect on and pray through what I've learned.

You may love or hate the sound of this method, and that's fine! Learning Bible passages is a bit like exercising: until you find a method you enjoy, you probably won't stick at it.

Your preferred method will depend on your circumstances (what times and places are available?), your personality (for example, do you like to learn alone or with others?) and your learning style (aural learners may need to hear and say; kinaesthetic learners may need to walk and learn with others; visual learners may need to see and write). The more ways you interact with a Bible passage, the better it will stick in your memory.

If your memory is sluggish, don't be dismayed: you can train your brain, and it will get stronger with use. And even a single verse imperfectly learned will be used by God's Spirit to transform you and others (Isa 55:11; Eph 6:17; Col 3:16; Heb 4:12). Just make a start, and you'll soon have a whole treasury of passages tucked away in your head and heart.


What other memorization methods can you recommend? What methods do you find work well for you, or would you like to try? Any resources that you can suggest to others?

1. See Tony Reinke, Lit!, Page 140
2. See Norman Doidge's The Brain that Changes Itself.
3. Just google a bunch of words like "Bible" and "memorization" and "system", and you'll see what I mean.
4. We've used this method with our children; see my post Bible and breakfast.
5. There are apps that will help you do this like Memorize Anything HT Ian Carmichael.
6. Especially from Baa baa doo baa baa, a collection of memory verses set to music.
7. The advantage of Sons of Korah is that they stick very closely to the words of the Bible; another good collection is Sovereign Grace's Psalms.
8. See Nothing will help you more than Scripture memory.
9. Another useful method, far more thorough than mine, is Andrew Davis’ An approach to extended memorization of Scripture

This post first appeared at The Briefing.

image is by chefranden at flickr

a three-course banquet of Bible memorization

This is the second post in my series on memorizing Bible passages. You can read part 1 here.

A couple of weeks ago, I invited you to commit Bible passages to memory. The fact that you're still reading encourages me a lot, because I know that memorizing the Bible - especially whole passages! - isn't popular:

Once, I thought that memorising anything longer than two verses was for old people or super holy people. - Anna

In my late twenties was challenged by some Navigator friends to memorize Scripture...I thought they were saying that because Navigators sell Scripture Memory courses. - Duncan¹

When I encourage people to memorize the Bible, I sometimes feel about as popular as a peddler of bad-tasting, expensive medicine. And yes, this is medicine for our sickly souls. But memorizing Bible passages isn’t just medicine: it’s sweet-tasting food that will feed and nourish us and others for years to come (Psalm 119:97-104). God's word is a feast, not a box of pills.

Today I want to tantalize your spiritual tastebuds with a three-course banquet of Bible memorization. In other words, I'll talk about the "what" of memorization: what kinds of passages should we memorize? Here's our menu (you'll notice that the third course isn't actually Scripture, but it's worth devouring all the same):

• Psalms
• Bible passages
• hymns and songs.

Here are some of my favourites in each category to get you started. This is not in any way an exhaustive list! I've chosen these because, of all the passages I've learned, they've stayed with me through the years.

Entree: Psalms
When your emotions are out of order, memorize a psalm.²  When you need to express wonder, fear or grief to God, memorize a psalm. When you want to recall God's mighty acts of creation and salvation, memorize a psalm.

Like most poetry, psalms are relatively easy to remember. When he was young, my husband performed the remarkable feat of committing all 150 psalms to memory, including Psalm 119. I've never made it that far, but I find it helpful to memorize a range of psalms so I have one on hand for different situations and moods.

Here are three ways the psalms have helped me. If you want to learn some psalms, you might like to start with some of the ones I mention.

• The psalms reshape my emotions. There have been black times in my life when a psalm was my lifeline (Ps 103, 130)³ and anxious times when only a psalm could soothe my fears (Ps 23).
• The psalms give me words to speak to God. They help me express longing (Ps 24, 84), confession (Ps 51) and praise (Ps 148).
• The psalms grow my faith. They give faith sold food to chew on (Ps 1, 139) or help me to rest quietly in God (Ps 121, 131).

Flicking through the psalms, it's clear I've only begun to absorb the riches they have to offer. Maybe my husband's idea of memorizing them all isn't so crazy after all; but I doubt my brain's capacity is that big. Still, I'll keep packing more in!

Which psalms have you found particularly helpful over the years?

Main course: Bible passages
You could memorize any Bible passage and it would yield unexpected delights and satisfying goodness every time you call it to mind (Matt 4:4; 2 Tim 3:16-17). But unless you have the memory of the proverbial elephant, I doubt you'll memorize the entire Bible any time soon. So how do you choose which passages to learn?

I usually memorize passages of about five to fifteen verses: not too many to be intimidating, but enough to give me something satisfying to chew on. (I also learn whole books, but that's another story, and I hope the next post in this series will equip you to do even that.⁴) Here are six kinds of passages I've found particularly helpful. You might like to use these categories to choose what to memorize:

• passages that help me fix my eyes on Jesus - John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:1-11; Colossians 1:15-20
• passages that pack great truths about God and the gospel into a small space, growing faith, assurance and joy - Romans 5:1-11; Ephesians 1:3-10
• passages that equip me for obedience and the battle with sin - Mark 8:34-38; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 6:10-20
• passages that address my particular struggles, like anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4:4-9) and discontent (Philippians 4:12-13)
• passages that give me hope and comfort in suffering - Psalm 73:23-26; Romans 8:28-39; Hebrews 12:1-13; 1 Peter 1:3-9
• passages that give me words for my prayers (Colossians 1:9-14) and my encouragement of others (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

There's not a lot of Old Testament on my list, except for the psalms. I'm eager to learn Isaiah 53. I'd also love to learn more of the New Testament, from Matthew 5:3-12 to the last chapters of Revelation. All in good time!

What passages would you add to my list?

Dessert: Hymns and spiritual songs
While most hymns and songs aren't directly from the Bible (unless you count Scripture in song) they're well worth memorizing, along with Christian poems, prayers and other kinds of writing. Often when I pray, I start by singing or reciting a hymn; this is helpful when I struggle, as many of us do, to put my adoration and thankfulness into words. (Col 3:16)

When I select a song to memorize, I don't usually pick a modern chorus: I choose one of the grand old hymns, bursting with great truths about God and the gospel. How rich we are if we fill our minds with great words about God from the past, words that speak through time as well as space! Here's a selection of timeless hymns I've learned that have encouraged me.

Before the throne
Crown him with many crowns
My song is love unknown
Before the throne
None other lamb
When I survey the wondrous cross
I cannot tell
Be thou my vision
Be still my soul
My hope is built on nothing less

The only reason And can it be isn't on my list is that I don't find it very singable, which is an important quality when choosing hymns to memorize. And even as I write this list, I think of others that should be included, like Amazing Grace, Rock of ages and It is well with my soul. Clearly, it's time to learn some more.

What hymns and songs have I forgotten?

So there you have it, a three-course banquet of Bible memorization. Don't be overwhelmed by the number of passages I've suggested: this is the fruit of twenty years of memorizing the Bible. Just start by learning a single passage. Every bit of God's word is packed with sweetness and sustenance, and those few words will continue to feed you abundantly twenty years from now.

I'm going to talk about the "why" of Bible memorization soon. But the best argument for learning Bible passages is to commit one to memory and seeing what comes of it. I'll make you a promise: once you've done that, you won't be able to resist learning more. Tell me how it goes!

1. From the comments on my post Why you shouldn't memorize Bible verses
2. See Christ Brauns' post In the wrong place emotionally? Memorize a Psalm in order to be moved.
3. See my posts Psalm for the discouraged part 1 and part 2.When I encourage people to memorize the Bible, I sometimes feel about as popular as a peddler of bad-tasting, expensive medicine. And yes, this is medicine for our sickly souls. But memorizing Bible passages isn't just medicine: it's sweet-tasting food that will feed and nourish us and others for years to come.
4. You'll find one useful method in Andrew Davis' An approach to extended memorization of Scripture.

This post first appeared at The Briefing.

image is by chefranden at flickr

why you shouldn’t memorize Bible verses

Well, actually, you should. But I got your attention, didn’t I? And I want to suggest there is something even better than memorizing Bible verses. Here it is: memorizing Bible passages.

I can almost hear you sigh. Who wants to be told they should memorize more of the Bible? If you’re anything like me, you tried to learn some Bible verses once, and you’ve forgotten them all, except a few stray words. And now I’m telling you that you should learn whole passages?

Yes, I am; but it’s not really a case of “should”. The Bible never tells me that I have to memorize this much this way. Memorizing Bible passages (and even whole books) isn’t really work to me. It’s joy. And that’s from someone with a terrible memory, even at my sparkling best. I did the bulk of my Bible memorization while I was a brain-dead sleep-deprived baby-toting mum. I’ve been doing this for years now: years of revelling in the best words in the world. I’m not asking you to take up a difficult duty, but inviting you to a feast (Psalm 119:103).

Why passages, not just verses? Because they are easier to learn. They stick in your head in a way that individual Bible verses are never likely to – at least if your brain is anything like mine. That’s because they come with meaning attached. They come with context, and meaning opening like a flower, and movement and mystery and structure and poetry and – did I mention meaning? They’re not just stray bits of information floating around an overloaded mind.

Why passages, not just verses? Because they are more useful to remember. Instead of a single nail, they give you a shelf to rest your thoughts on. Instead of a dot point, they give you an argument to wend your way through. Instead of a hut, they give you a mansion where you can lay your anxieties down to rest. They give you expressions for your praise and poetry for your laments and words for your encouragement. They give you food for reflection and prayer when you can’t sleep or when you’re going for a walk or when you’re waiting for the bus.

Why passages, not just verses? Because they are a lot more fun to recall, so you’ll recall them a lot. Because they’re full of meaning and sweetness, you’ll call them to mind again and again; and this will drive them so deeply into your heart that you will never forget them. You’ll do most of your memorizing when you’re not memorizing, just recalling your favourite passages, in the same way that you remember a special place, your greatest experience, or the face of a lover or a friend.

Have I convinced you? Have I even begun to convince you? I hope so. Because this is the first in a series. Next time, I’ll talk about the what of Bible memorization (which passages would be good to learn first?); then the how of Bible memorization (how on earth do I get those passages into my sluggish brain?); and, finally, the why of Bible memorization (what’s the point of all this anyway?). If going from what to how to why sounds a little backwards, yes, it is. But you’ve heard it often enough around the other way around. So I thought I’d shake things up a bit.

Why passages, not just verses? Because God has invited us to a feast. Let’s not stop at the hors d’oeuvres.

What’s your experience (if any) of Scripture memorization? How well do you remember what you learned? And how do you feel when you hear the words “Bible memorization”:

a) jumping for joy (I can’t wait!)
b) yawning widely (I’ve heard this before)
c) bewildered (No-one does that any more!)
d) guilty and anxious (I know I should, but it all sounds too hard.)?

Be honest!


This post first appeared at The Briefing.
image is by chefranden at flickr