Bible Memorization

Do the words of old memory verses still echo around your brain? Do they seem to come at just the right time? Words like these: “For God so loved the world that He gave…” from John 3:16. Words like, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive…” from 1 John 1:9. Or, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” from Matthew 6:33.

When the Word of God becomes a part of our being, stressful situations will often trigger a God-given memory of one of His promises. These precious words bring comfort and hope in difficult times.

The challenge is to store these treasured passages away in the heart. First, choose the passage to memorize. It can be daunting to look at 66 books and narrow them down to three to five verses. Opening a Bible promise book can be a good place to start, or the verse of the day from your Bible app. A few to start with are Philippians 4:6, John 3:16, Galatians 2:20, or Romans 6:23.

Next write the verse down so it can be easily accessed. Grab a 3x5 card to record the verse on, making a line break after each phrase. Or add it as a reminder to your digital calendar where it will pop up at strategic times throughout the day.

Now, memorize! Read the verses silently, repeat them out loud, or perhaps sing them as a song, whether one you’ve composed or one put to music by someone else. Write the verses in your prayer journal. Just repeat, and repeat over many days. Each day of reading and focusing on the chosen verse is a time to become like Jesus by hiding His word in the heart (Ps. 119:11). As you memorize a verse, it becomes second nature for it to well up at the right moments.