Five Passages you HAVE to Memorize (and speak over yourself!)
I used to think I could never memorize Scripture. It was just too hard, too much work, too many words…just me?
Then I went to Bible college and one of the professors required that we memorize Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Yup, Matthew 5-7.
All three chapters.
111 verses.
2,576 words.
It felt impossible, until I actually did it. My friends and I spent weeks memorizing parts of the text, reciting them aloud to each other. We were doing it. We were actually memorizing whole chapters of the Bible!
I used to think I couldn’t memorize the Word. Then, my hubby reminded me that I have this uncanny ability to memorize the lyrics of songs.
By the second chorus of a new song, I’m usually singing along; practicing at least two, if not three, harmonies.
It drives him crazy, since memorizing lyrics is one of the hardest things for him (even though he is literally an encyclopedia and can recall every detail about anything interesting he’s ever heard.)
We all have our strengths, babe.
What I’m trying to say is that whether it’s in song or word form, we all have the ability to memorize a passage.
I think what we often lack is the desire and the discipline to invest time into memorizing Scripture.
But I want to recall His Words as easily as I do the Boyz II Men song, “End of the Road,” from ‘92. Why is it that we can recite every word to, “Whatta Man,” written 25 years ago, but we can’t recall more than a handful of verses of the only book that will outlive every human on earth?
In Jesus’ actual words, “The earth and sky will wear out and fade away before one word I speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose.” (Mark 13:31)
His words hold so much power. When we speak His word aloud, we encourage our hearts and build up our faith.
“The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.” Or, in another version, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
I’m so excited to share a few of my favorite passages with you today. Most of these are hanging on my bathroom mirror right now. I speak these words over my spirit as I’m brushing my teeth, putting lotion on my face at night, or getting ready for work.
I listen to these passages on the Bible app on my phone while I’m driving to work or on my way to lunch with a friend.
Some are short, some are long. But, they’re all worth it!
They’re worth the time spent memorizing each word. There is revelation and holy wonder found in repeating God’s Word back to Him.
Each graphic below is conveniently shared in 16:9 resolution format, so they’re easily downloadable to your phone.
One suggestion I have for memorizing scripture is to set the photo as your wallpaper. Research shows that on average, most of us pick up our phones over 150 times a day, so that gives you 150 chances to see the passage you’re memorizing!
Memorizing His Word shouldn’t feel like a check-the-box task or an obligatory measure to earn His favor.
We memorize His Word to learn more about His heart and we learn more about who He is by reading His Word.
I pray that you’ll fall more in love with Jesus, the Word who wore flesh, every time you invest in speaking His truth over your spirit and memorizing His love letter, the Word!
I’m so glad you’re here, friend. I’m not sure how you found this post, but I continue to be amazed by the internets. It brings us together in such beautiful ways and reminds us that we’re more alike than different. More united than divided. Whether you spend a minute or an hour on this page, know that Jesus loves you like crazy. Like CRAZY. I’d love to hear how I can pray for you. Would you let me know here?
