Children in Afghanistan and Pakistan today are attending Muslim schools and memorizing the entire Qur’an by the time they are thirteen years old. Many of these children speak different languages, like Pashto or Urdu, but they are memorizing the Qur’an in its original language, Arabic. And they have the full, collective support of their parents and their community as they learn the words of their so-called god.
Can you imagine a children’s ministry in a church today teaching children to memorize the entire New Testament in Greek? Then moving on to the Old Testament in Hebrew? We might say, “That’s impossible. We couldn’t even do that in English.” But just thinking about this makes me wonder: If those parents and that community are so committed to helping children memorize the words of a false god, and if these children are that committed to doing it, then what does that say about our commitment as people who claim we have the words of the only true God?
Don’t Just Read Scripture
Too often, the goal of Bible reading can become simply checking off a box, even seeing how quickly we can get our reading done in order to move on to something else. If we’re not careful, we can approach Bible reading the way we go through a fast-food restaurant. We’re focused on getting in and out, and our expectations for food quality are fairly low.
Meditating on the Bible involves thinking deeply about what we’re reading and reflecting prayerfully on what it means. It’s more like sitting down for a fine meal. Your focus is on enjoying every bite because you know this food will not just strengthen you; it will satisfy you.
God calls us not to just read his Word but to meditate on it day and night, as we read in Psalm 1:1–3.
Why Memorize Scripture?
Memorization is one of the most practical and helpful ways to meditate on God’s Word. It involves repeating God’s Word over and over again in our minds, and sometimes with our mouths, until it becomes hidden deep within us. It is the process of “storing up God’s Word in our hearts” (Psalm 119:11) in a way that helps us walk with God.
Some people may say, “But I’m not good at memorization.” people certainly have different capacities to memorize. But what if I told you that I would give you a thousand dollars for every verse you could memorize between now and this time tomorrow?
I’m guessing you could learn to memorize at least a few verses. John 11:35 says, “Jesus wept.” Just like that, you’d have a thousand bucks. Now think about Psalm 119:72: “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” Do you believe that? The real question is not, Can you memorize? but, What is worth more to you: money or God’s Word?
How to Memorize Scripture
You might start with a simple goal. As you meditate on the Bible, look for one verse to memorize. Write out the verse. Then say it out loud, phrase by phrase. Start with the first few words and repeat them several times. Add a few more words and then say all of them multiple times. Keep doing this until you can say the whole verse out loud without looking at it.
Once you have this foundation, don’t stop. About an hour later, try to say it again, and if you can’t, go back and review until you can. Then try to say the verse again after another hour or two, and so on. Whenever you have an idle moment, say it out loud again. Keep doing this throughout your day, then let the verse be the last words you say out loud before bed.
When you wake up the next morning, try to say that verse again. All throughout the day, multiple times, say it again and again, up until bedtime. In the process, realize that you are starting to meditate on God’s Word day and night!
David Platt
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back. David lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children. His latest book, How to Read the Bible: A Simple Guide to Deeper Intimacy with God, provides the step-by-step tools and insights you need to explore Scripture with greater clarity and purpose.
