On Memorization

I wanted to write a post about the importance of memorizing scripture in our Bibles. So many of us complain about how hard it is to memorize anything, let alone verses or chapters from our Bibles.

Are we aware that Jewish children memorize the Torah by heart? This is a tradition that has lasted thousands of years. The Torah is not just five verses from the Bible. It's not just five chapters; it's five BOOKS. It is everything written in the first 213 pages of my Bible.

Memorize THAT.

Sometimes I look at my husband shocked when he starts singing along with a new song on the radio that I have never even heard. How does he have some song memorized that I've never even heard before!? Well, he listens to the radio any time he is in the car. I don't. But look how quickly those songs on the radio become engrained in our memory. We don't TRY to memorize them, we just do. It is effortless, an achievement of the subconscious.

In America, Bibles are extremely readily available. If a Bible isn't available, there's an app for that. Google searches find scripture in seconds; there's not even really a need for a good concordance anymore. So why put scripture to memory?

There are several reasons why I think scripture should be put to memory. First, it is the only tangible thing God has given mankind that is eternal. Everything else in this world will perish and burn up in the end days, but God's holy word will remain forever. Our bodies are part of this world, but if we are Christians, our spirits are part of an eternal world. The Bible offers our spirits the spiritual food they need to survive: God's eternal word.

Second, I do not believe Bibles are always going to be available in this country. Why would Americans think that our religion would never be attacked when religion is banned in so many other countries around the world? It is only a matter of time. I believe it is important to have as much of the scriptures committed to memory as we can before we are no longer allowed to own them.

The following is a list of countries where Christianity is restricted, and the owning of a Bible could have an individual arrested, tortured, or put to death. Christians living in these countries hunger and thirst for the word of God and it is the biggest request rising out from the members of the underground churches that exist there.

Mexico
Cuba
Columbia
Mauritania
Morocco
Mali
Nigeria
Tunisia
Libya
Egypt
Sudan
South Sudan
Eritea
Ethiopia
Somalia
Comoros
Yemen
Oman
United Arab Emirates
Qatar
Bahrain
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Iraq
Jordan
Gaza and the West Bank
Lebanon
Syria
Turkey
Belarus
Azerbaijan
Iran
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan
Afghanistan
Pakistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
India
Maldives
Sri Lanka
Nepal
Tibet
Bangladesh
Bhutan
China
Burma
Laos
Malaysia
Vietnam
Indonesia
Brunei
Mindanao (Philippines)
North Korea

When owning even one verse of the word of God is punishable by death in so many of these countries, why would we ever think for a second that our great America would not come subject to this type of persecution? Why are we not preparing ourselves for the spiritual battle at hand when the only sword God has given us is his word. When society takes his word out of our hands, how are we to defend ourselves against the evil one? It will only be the verses we commit to memory now that will defend us in those days.

So I encourage you now to make a new commitment to yourself and God. Stop easily memorizing songs, jingles, slogans, and useless  pop culture facts when that memory could be better used for retaining real spiritual food that will defeat the evil one.