I was recently asked the best way to memorize long portions of scripture. It was a delight to answer her question. And since this is truly one of the most joy increasing acts we could do, I wanted to share my response. To simplify my meaning, I have written it out in steps. This, in my belief, is the best way to meditate on, and memorize long portions of scripture:
Steps 1-3 are really meant to prepare us SPIRITUALLY & PSYCHOLOGICALLY. ***these 3 are most important***
IMPORTANT INTRODUCTORY NOTE: The lack of a great enough motive causes a failure to be capable of pushing through when memorizing gets difficult. This in my opinion is the greatest hindrance in memorizing scripture. This is also why it is imperative to know the great reward of memorizing scripture.
1. Most importantly, before memorizing scripture, remember why you are memorizing it in the first place. Here are a few reasons why… Romans 10:17 says that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”. This word “hearing” is not just referring to what we do with our ears. It’s implied meaning is much deeper than that. It is hearing with our hearts. It implies that we truly understand something and really ‘get it’. So by “hearing” the Word we build faith. Since faith is the agent God uses to bring about all spiritual growth, then it is infinitely important that we grow in understanding the Word. Also, John 15:1-11 makes it clear that to have an “abiding” relationship with God we must have the His Word IN us. This passage also affirms that if the Word is ‘in’ us then it will have a great affect on the power of our prayer life. This also affirms our need of the Holy Spirit to help us internalize His Word. We must constantly partner prayer with meditation along with memorization of God’s Word. Jesus also says in this same passage (John 15:1-11) that abiding in Him is what gives us fullness of joy. – – So to sum up, meditating on, and memorizing the Word allows for us to know Him and His purposes more, thereby allowing us to grow in faith, adding power to our prayer life, and growing in joy. This in turn makes us greater disciples and disciple makers of our Lord Jesus… In reality, we gain much more than the things I have just mentioned by meditating and memorizing scripture, but I don’t want you to have to read a book. So I only mention these three or four and then will have to write about the others in a book someday. But these are some of the main motives that pump me up to dive as deep as the Lord will let me into His Word.
2. With the previous motive in mind, our greatest gain comes from praying through and meditating on the scripture we are memorizing, until we have rung it for every ounce of life-giving truth God will allow us to find through it. This does take time, and it is work. But once we “taste and see” the JOY of knowing our Lord more and more, knowing His desires, His ways, how we can please Him, how He loves us, and more… this becomes our obsession. It is the greatest addiction we will ever have. This is actually what our souls were made to do = to find ever increasing treasures of joy through knowing our King ever more!
3. It is these last last two points (motive & deeper motive) that are the greatest help for me in memorizing long passages of scripture. I find that as long as I have the proper motivation to memorize scripture, there is no text too long. Because knowing that the greatest treasures and joys are found when I am able to dive deeper into scripture is greatly motivating. That is, diving deeper in my relationship with my King from having scripture so easily accessible (in my head). This gives me great fuel for the journey through His Word.
Steps 4 to the end deal with LOGISTICS (how I go about memorizing) and some SPIRITUAL aspect for your continual consideration.
4. When I have a long scripture to memorize – say, Romans chapter 8, which is 39 verses. What I do is, I first go out and buy some index cards. Then I transcribe the whole text onto multiple index cards. I have found that the best way to set this up is to write normally (not too small so as to fit more on the card), but if anything write bigger. Write on each card only what will fit on one side. Most of the time one side will hold somewhere between 3 to 6 verses. This would mean that for a chapter like Romans 8, you would need between 7-13 index cards. Once you have the scripture on the cards, start with verse 1 and begin memorizing.
5. When I am memorizing scripture, I take my time, because the whole process is so wonderful if we will take it all in. The whole time I enjoy anticipating the deeper understanding God will graciously give me as I pray through His Word. I mean, it’s so exciting to think of diving deeper into the glory of God, thereby experiencing that much more joy today!!! – So I always begin in prayer asking God to open my eyes that I may see what He wants me to see in His Word.
6. Then I begin to methodically memorize, being sensitive to the Holy Spirit. I read through one whole notecard first, slowly (as stated before, this should be 3 to 6 verses). Then I read through the notecard again. Every time I read through it, I focus on the words, asking God to help me think, using all the brain power He gives me to understand what He is saying through the scriptures. Every time a new understanding, depth of the text, conviction, or a new idea of how to apply the truth learned jumps out at me, I know it is the Spirit taking me deeper into His love and joy. This is why the process is so amazing!!! I read the note card over and over and over again. I stop and contemplate those portions that are hardest to understand. Then, the more I familiarize myself with the text and it’s meaning, the more the memorization of it becomes easy. – Remember, meditation and prayer is the goal, not memorization. Memorization is secondary. Memorization is only a tool that allows us to have scripture readily accessible in our minds for more prayer, meditation, and use of truth in application to our lives. – And all this for the glory of our King.
7. I usually only focus on one notecard a day. But I usually spend a good hour or so on each notecard, maybe more if it is a specifically rich text. Or, if the Holy Spirit blesses me with a supernatural touch by His grace upon my soul. Sometimes I don’t get past the first line. That is, if God moves my heart to a spontaneous worship session, or drives me to overwhelming, joyful tears over a new depth of Grace understood… in which I would be on my face pouring prayers of thanksgiving and reflection out to Him. All this to say that the amount of time spent each day on any given notecard should be up to the Holy Spirit, and should not be predicated on how long it takes you to memorize the passage.
It is important to note that the best “brain hours” of the day should be spent on meditating on and memorizing scripture. That is, our best brain hours should be spent contemplating truth and asking the Holy Spirit to infuse it into our hearts. Our lives must be “on purpose” in this way (and every way for that matter). – If somehow, I still don’t have the contents of the notecard memorized after spending ample time meditating on a passage, then I finish memorizing it by reading a sentence, then looking away from the card and restating it from memory. Once I have the first sentence memorized, then I add the next sentence… and so on, and so forth. The initial stages of familiarizing myself with the card, should make the final stages of solidly memorizing it much easier. This is why I just stay with the “memorize a sentence then add a sentence” routine. (WARNING: If you are only trying to memorize the text as quickly as possible, then my method is not for you.)
8. (Day after you memorized the first card) The following day I pick up the second card and begin the process over again. Every day I make sure to restate the scripture I learned the day before. For the first couple days I usually have to relearn some of the previous material. But after a week at the most or relearning material, I have the previous scriptures imbedded pretty well into my brain. This point, above the others should show you of the almost below average intelligence that I have. For most people, they will be able to memorize a text much faster than I. But, nonetheless, intelligence is not as important as resolve (which comes through motive) in meditating and memorizing scripture.
9. After you have each of the notecards memorized (might take a few weeks), then practice saying them in order while praying through it. Whats amazing about this is that it gives more context to the entire scripture passage. This broadens what God will show our hearts through it. I would honestly say that I have an average memory, at best. And I was able to memorize Romans 8 in under a month. The point to telling you that is only that if you have the proper motive, then memorizing long portions of scripture should NOT be too difficult.
Well folks, I know this was thick. But if you were brave enough to wade through it then I pray that this will be a great encouragement to you in memorizing more scripture and knowing our God more fully!!!
Love Uncensored 