Do you ever think about memorizing Scripture? Or does the thought of doing so bore or scare you? If so, then I encourage you to read An Approach To Extended Memorization of Scripture by Andrew Davis.
As one would expect, Davis writes that Scripture memorization is commanded and is beneficial. He also writes a few words concerning the excuses we all give for not memorizing Scripture. But what makes Davis’s take on Scripture memory unique is his chapter on why “memorizing books is better than memorizing individual verses.”
Davis writes:
Memorizing individual verses tends to miss intervening verses that the individual does not feel are as significant. If we continue to focus only on our “favorite” passages of Scripture, we may well miss something new that God wants to say to the church through a neglected portion of His Word. God does not speak any word in vain, and there are no wasted passages of Scripture.
Also, since much of Scripture is written to make a rational case, there is a flow of argumentation that is missed if individual verses are memorized. In addition, there is far less likelihood of taking verses out of context when entire books are memorized.
Now memorizing whole books of the Bible might seem impossible, but Davis helps his/her readers realize that it is doable by offering simple daily procedures. One just has to make the commitment to start memorizing. “We will not regret,” writes Davies, “one moment we spend diligently studying God’s Word and hiding it in our heart,”
An Approach To Extended Memorization of Scripture is a super short read. You can probably complete the book during your lunch hour. And it costs less than a cup of coffee. So get a copy and start reading. It might just be the catalyst you need to begin diving in to God’s Word via memorization.
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