Thoughts on Memorization

Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken. Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119:124–130)

Yesterday’s sermon was about hiding God's Word in my heart. I’ve never been able to do rote memorization. I struggle with focus and being easily distracted. However, the guest speaker memorized the entire NT so I listened carefully for ways to overcome that problem.

He was clear in all he said and gave tips, like go somewhere with no distractions. That is my challenge. My mind can come up with many distractions, even in a dark room without anything in it. Yet one tip helped: he said to attach memory practice to something I already do without prompting. It could be brushing my teeth, but better yet, I spend ten minutes each morning walking and singing worship songs. I can add memory practice to that.

The other problem is being pragmatic. He said it helped when tempted as verses needed would more quickly come to mind. Yet doesn’t the Holy Spirit do that? If I’m relying on my memory, that is one thing, but relying on the Lord is amazing. He answers my need with His thoughts. I am not certain memorization is the best way to rely on for resisting temptation. Desiring to obey seems more important than retention. I could be wrong, yet relying on the Lord seems less about what I know and more about what and who I am trusting.

The passage above elevates understanding before knowing, and loving God's commands above keeping them. Knowing them by memorization can happen without doing what they say. Doing what they say means I have them in my heart far deeper than just being able to recite them.

All that said, at the end of the sermon, two men stood up and after three months of memory work, they said the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) from memory. It was not only motivational, but mesmerizing, better than if they had read it.

Jesus, I am so in agreement with the psalmist. I love Your Word and challenged daily to do what You tell me through its pages. It makes me realize what I do not know and how wise You are. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who is an enduring and powerful gift to my memory.

Surprises small and large . . .

 

 

READ Psalm 91–95

Many times I’ve declared how I love God’s surprises. He does both huge and small things that cause me to shake my head in wonder. Today I prayed to see ‘more of Jesus’ in His word. He surprised me with commendation for a deep desire to stay close to Him. These words were given to the psalmist yet I heard His voice in them and felt incredibly blessed:

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. (Psalm 91:9–10)

The author is not named nor do these passages tell who God is speaking to. I’ve read them many times and not associated them to myself, but today His gentle voice tell gave me a personal blessing — a blessing that I did not earn or deserve. He says:

Because (you) hold fast to me in love, I will deliver (you); I will protect (you), because you know my name. When (you) call to me, I will answer (you); I will be with (you) in trouble; I will rescue (you) and honor (you). With long life I will satisfy (you) and show (you) my salvation.” (Psalm 91:14–16)

This is one of those days where I feel my age, but God says of His people: “They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him” (Psalm 92:14–15) and I am humbled that He gets inside my head and persists to tell me that He knows my big and small fears and will keep on taking care of me, even using me to glorify Him. That is such a blessing to a soul that often feels useless.

And He adds more through the psalmist who realizes the value of continued growth and discipline. There is no retirement for the people of God, only increasing in godliness and in doing His will:

Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. (Psalm 94:12–15)

The Lord’s assignments are not always easy. Yesterday after church we were approached by a man who could not speak English very well but has a serious family problem and was concerned, even distraught, for the lives of his children. We prayed, called out to others, found someone who could speak his language and suggest resources. We felt his concern, but also helpless. Today, the psalmist says:

Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. (Psalm 94:16–19)

I had an odd and vivid dream last night about a funeral and woke up unable to shake my emotions. However, a song of praise came to mind and the words quickly settled my heart. The same ‘cure’ came from today’s reading and again a pointed word from God:

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods . . . . Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand . . . . (Psalm 95:1–3; 6–8)

God speaks to every need. How can I not consider Him “my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge” (Psalm 94:22) when He keeps speaking to everything that happens in my life? Such an amazing Savior and Lord!