The ladies at Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita participated in our annual women’s conference this weekend. I gave a workshop on Scripture memorization and promised those in attendance that I would share my notes with them here.

The workshop started by looking at Mary’s burst of praise in Luke 1:46-56. Mary begins “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” She continues remembering the Lord’s work, rehearsing his character, and magnifying His name. Some of the phrases she uses are quotes of other Scripture. How would a young woman from a poor town in a setting of limited literacy be quoting from Judges and Psalms and Isaiah? Mary had memorized Scripture.

1. Memorizing and Meditating the Father’s words changes us.

• Keeps us from sin:  Psalm 119:11 
• Transforms our thinking to know the will of God: Romans 12:2 
• Shapes us toward greater conformity to Christ:  2 Corinthians 3:18
• Equips us to wage spiritual warfare:  Matthew 4:1-11 

2. Memorizing the Father’s words changes how we engage with one another.

• Allows us to teach and encourage others: Colossians 3:16  
• Readies us to speak of the Lord wherever we are: Deuteronomy 6:6-7
• Tempers our words to be fit and beautiful:  Proverbs 25:11
• Speak of Jesus: the Gospels!
• Equips us for every good work  2 Timonth 3:16-17

3. Memorizing the Father’s words helps us to Delight in our God. Psalm 119:16

Memorizing a passage slows us down enough to ask “What is this passage saying about the character and work of God?” What is He really like? How has he been faithful? Here is a good place to start:

The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
    his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;[a]
    he remembers that we are dust.  Psalm 103:8-14 

4. Meditating and memorizing the Father’s words brings assurance to the long nights and delight to our days:  Psalm 119:97, 148

When I asked if the attendees were looking for some secret silver bullet, heads noddled all over the room. How can this be easier? One resources I have found helpful at times is Fighter Verses. Whatever resource you use, it still takes time and work. The reality is, there is no easy formula to quick memorizing. You just have to put in the time to study and repeat.

For some, music may make things easier, as in the case of this album of songs and mini sermons on Romans 8 from Immanual Music. Seeds Family Worship is another musical resource.

What are some resources you have found helpful in memorizing Scripture?