Mercy and Truth
Over the weekend, I started reading Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Whitney.
Among other things, the book made a point of the importance of memorizing Scripture, so I've started memorizing Psalm 22. I'm up to verse 8. I memorized the first Psalm and the first page of Mark a few years ago, but haven't maintained them in my mind and can't remember them well. I've considered picking up the Mark memorization challenge again sometime in the future if I develop any kind of skill in training my mind to retain Scripture. (I remember enough other stuff in the course of life, so why not the Bible?) Since Mark is the shortest Gospel (and I've always had an unexplainable interest in it above Matthew and Luke though I have yet to seriously study the three synoptic Gospels together), I may still keep that as an ultimate goal of mine in the future.
Of course, I love the saying, "One step at a time." So, for now, I've memorized a verse from Revelation and am working on Ps 22. I think that next I want to commit to memory some verses that Mom's sent me in morning emails that particularly strike me and then perhaps some more Psalms. It would be fun to move on to memorize a whole book, such as Ruth, which is only 4 chapters long. That would be quite an achievement for me!
For those who think that Scripture memorization is pointless, well, I actually felt the same way up until this week. I find a lot of joy in studying, hearing, and reading Scripture, but I've felt that memorizing Scripture wasn't for me because I didn't feel that it was as rewarding. This week, though, I've been so encouraged by the line from Psalm 22 - "They cried to You, and were delivered". Truly, if I have the Word memorized and bundled up close to my heart, the Spirit can bring to mind the words that I need to hear at just the right times. And this week, I've needed a lot of steadfast assurance!
Proverbs 3:3
Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
Among other things, the book made a point of the importance of memorizing Scripture, so I've started memorizing Psalm 22. I'm up to verse 8. I memorized the first Psalm and the first page of Mark a few years ago, but haven't maintained them in my mind and can't remember them well. I've considered picking up the Mark memorization challenge again sometime in the future if I develop any kind of skill in training my mind to retain Scripture. (I remember enough other stuff in the course of life, so why not the Bible?) Since Mark is the shortest Gospel (and I've always had an unexplainable interest in it above Matthew and Luke though I have yet to seriously study the three synoptic Gospels together), I may still keep that as an ultimate goal of mine in the future.
Of course, I love the saying, "One step at a time." So, for now, I've memorized a verse from Revelation and am working on Ps 22. I think that next I want to commit to memory some verses that Mom's sent me in morning emails that particularly strike me and then perhaps some more Psalms. It would be fun to move on to memorize a whole book, such as Ruth, which is only 4 chapters long. That would be quite an achievement for me!
For those who think that Scripture memorization is pointless, well, I actually felt the same way up until this week. I find a lot of joy in studying, hearing, and reading Scripture, but I've felt that memorizing Scripture wasn't for me because I didn't feel that it was as rewarding. This week, though, I've been so encouraged by the line from Psalm 22 - "They cried to You, and were delivered". Truly, if I have the Word memorized and bundled up close to my heart, the Spirit can bring to mind the words that I need to hear at just the right times. And this week, I've needed a lot of steadfast assurance!
Proverbs 3:3
Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,