Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3 NASB)
I’ve never considered myself great at memorizing things. I’ll spare you the full story of the disastrous Brahms piano Intermezzo I tried to perform (memorized) for a recital in college. I was terrified of forgetting it, but I made it all the way to the last few measures—when I completely blanked out. In a panic, I played a V chord that somehow resolved to a I (I’m not even sure what key I was in), bowed, and rushed off the stage. Experiences like that convinced me I wasn’t good at memorizing.
So, over time, I’ve developed systems to help me remember things—calendars, to-do lists, and the like. As an adult, I’ve found the tools I need to successfully stay organized and remember what’s important. And that’s a good thing!
Except, sometimes God surprises us with new perspectives about ourselves.
In the spring of 2020, I took a course called Game Changers through the Aglow organization. One of the key practices in the course was writing and memorizing declarations about who I am in Christ—Scripture-based statements that affirm my identity in Him. For example, “I am created very good in Christ Jesus, precious in His eyes, honored, and loved.” “God’s Spirit gives me power, love, and self-discipline.” “I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me.” (Genesis 1:31, Isaiah 43:4, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:37).
Once I completed my list, I taped these declarations to the bathroom wall and made them part of my morning devotions. Over the past few years, I’ve memorized my first twelve statements, then continued adding to them. In the fall of 2021, I added fourteen more, and in the last eight months, I’ve added around twenty additional Scripture declarations and prayers that I’m working on committing to memory.
I’ve found that God often brings one of these declarations to my mind just when I need it. For instance, “I am peaceful, brave, and confident” is especially helpful when I’m feeling anything but peaceful, brave, or confident. My emotions may say one thing, but I stand on the truth of God’s Word and choose to believe what it says!
Although I haven’t fully memorized all of the new verses, prayers, and declarations, I’m starting to wonder if it’s time to challenge myself to commit even more of God’s Word to memory. Maybe I could aim for a verse a month, or even a verse a week. Perhaps I could put a verse to song each month. I’m not sure what the exact plan will look like yet. I don’t want to set goals that are too ambitious to fully achieve, but I also know that without any goals, I won’t achieve much. If I only memorize 20 out of the 52 scriptures I’ve hoped to, does that mean I’ve failed? I don’t think so. It seems that any amount of God’s Word you take in will bear powerful and lasting fruit in your life.
Today, I invite you to join me in creating a plan to memorize God’s Word this year.
God,
Help us know you better through your Word and your Spirit. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to be attuned to your Voice. Plant your sweet Word deeply within us so that we can be fruitful in all our ways. We ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103 NASB)