Eating the Word of God

This posting was written by one of our network friends, Jonathan Croudace.

I am sure we have all done this in the past. Driving to a familiar restaurant with family, friends or your partner, you are very hungry and discussing what food you will choose to order when you arrive. You discuss a possible appetizer, the main course and then you get excited as you reel off the list of desserts that you can choose from. Two things are clear from this; 1- you can have the menu memorized but it doesn’t mean you have eaten and 2 – the food hasn’t benefited you in the way it’s meant to.

Memorization needs to be coupled with meditation.  We need to know the menu and then eat it. The Bible says ‘Thy Word have I hid in mine heart.’ We need to hide the Word in our hearts and that comes from memorizing and then meditating upon the memorized Word. With chapters or passages of the Word memorized we can meditate on it continually; as we lie in our beds, going for a walk or a run, driving the car, in the shower, cooking a meal, or while gardening. It is clear what I am saying. Every opportunity that our minds may be idle to the things of the Word of God when we go about daily life, we can use that time to focus on the Lord. We can meditate upon memorized Scripture.  Through meditation we enable the Word to sink into our hearts. It will change us, conform us more to Christ’s glorious image. We will learn more of who Christ is and that is the ultimate goal of any discipline that involves the Word – to know Him.

Personal Benefits of Bible Memorization

1) Prosperity and success, as defined by the Lord (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2).

2) An aid for victory over sin (Psalm 119:11).

3) An aid for victory over temptation (Matthew 4:1-11).

4) Answered prayer (John 15:7).

5) Prepares for witnessing (1 Peter 3:15).

6) Knowledge of the will of the Lord (Romans 12:2).

7) An increase of understanding (Psalm 119:99).

8) Leading, keeping and communication from the Word (Proverbs 6:22)

9) A Spirit filled life (Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16).

10)  A satisfied soul and praising lips (Psalm 63:5-6).

The list is not exhaustive. However, you can clearly see how beneficial it is for a child of God to memorize the Word. It leads to meditation that prepares us for service and conforms us more to the image of Christ. It fulfills the admonition of Paul. “Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report; any virtue, and any praise, think on these things.”

A Memorization Process

Memorization isn’t difficult, if you can remember your name, birthday etc, you can memorize, reviewing is the hard part. Following is a method that has worked in my own memorizing.

Each verse will be memorized over 5 days, first day 25 times, then 20 times, 15, 10 and 5 and then will be reviewed once a day for 30 days and then once a month.

On day 1 memorize the first verse, John 1:1 for example, 25 times.

On day 2 memorize John 1:1 – 20 times and John 1:2 – 25 times.

On day 3 v1 – 15 times, v2 – 20 times and v3 – 25 times, and so on.

A chart will look like this: Eat…pdf

I find the best way is to have the verses written down on flashcards either on an index card or you can use a flashcard app on your mobile device. Write the address of the verse on the one side of the card and then the verse on the other side. If you prefer the traditional way and use index cards, buy 5” x 3” cards, cut in half 2.5” x 3” and then use them. This is a perfect size for the card to be carried with you.

Like all disciplines that lead to spiritual growth and a knowledge of our Lord, memorizing is difficult. It takes hard work but with the bigger picture in view, it is well worth it. Our Lord memorized passages of Scripture, so did the apostles, the early Church believers and I trust, so will we.

May we say with Jeremiah ‘Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.’ (Jeremiah 15:16a)