And then I remembered
- that I value authenticity in my relationships.
- that I own this blog, it does not own me.
- that we memorize scripture because we value God's word and how He transforms our lives through it, not because we get to post our verses twice a month on this silly blog.
So I didn't post. I trust you kept up with the discipline even though the accountability of posting your verse for everyone to see was absent.
Two of the top disciplines in my walk with Jesus that I truly love are memorizing scripture and worshiping Him through music. Since the change in my brain both have become very difficult.
However, don't pity me. Do you remember that old Matt Redman song? "I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about you, Lord."
Maybe I can't hear music the way I used to hear it or sing as loud as I used to sing, but I'm pressing into to worship Him just as passionately and possibly without the distraction of familiarity.
Maybe it takes significantly more effort to memorize new scripture, but I'm meditating on many of the passages I've already memorized in a much deeper way.
Disciplines in our walks with Christ shouldn't become idols and shouldn't become obsessions. I'm not saying singing to Jesus or memorizing His Word were idols for me, but I am saying my current season is reminding me to depend fully on Him, not what I can do or have done for Him.
I am still working on Colossians 2:6-7. Whew. It is such hard work, but I will learn it.
Reviewing passages has made me grin a few times because of the timely application. I switched out my review section last week. The first card in line?
James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
I'm certainly experiencing the testing, and I'm focusing on experiencing the joy!
Post your verses, friends. Feel free to share anything Jesus is teaching you through His word through the discipline of memorizing or reviewing scripture.
12 important comments so far. What are your thoughts?
Thank you for the reminder of motive, Angel - I needed to hear that! :)
I've been slacking at my car memorizing lately - I dunno if I've just been enjoying the quiet of a silent car or have had too much on my mind to focus on the memorizing - but - I'm trying to get back to the consistency! I almost have this one down and ready to start the second:
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." -Titus 3:4-7
"The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
-Zephaniah 3:17
Such a good word Friend. As someone who is largely undisciplined, it is easy to get proud of myself when I am doing well at a discipline. Its a good reminder that this is not how we work our way into God's favor, but a way for him to speak to us.
I'm going to start the next big chunk of Scripture this week with Romans 12. This should take me into next year as I would like to do the whole chapter.
Romans 12:1-2 NIV
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Hi Angel! Leslie from "Top of the Page" told me about your blog. She has inspired me to get back to memorizing God's Word! I'm on my second verse, which happens to be our church's vision.
Micah 6:8 (NIV84)
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I have been struggling with scripture memory really since the summer. I thought my longer commute to work would be bad, but at Sarah's suggestion, I have been using my drive time to memorize and have been blessed by it the past week. I am working on Psalm 27
The Lord is my light & my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?
Thanks for the words of encouragement and truth regarding the importance of our own personal accountability. Love that we can journey in this together!
Philippians 4:8-9 ~
"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute; if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and see in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
i am overwhelmed with my concern and desire for a few friends of mine right now. each different. different struggles. addictions. obstacles between them and a passionate love for Jesus and His word...my heart feels like a punching bag this past month with different stuff that's happened--choices made, consequences being dished out... shew. i think i'm writing so intently that the keys on my keyboard are about to pop off. i can't shake this blazing, intense anger towards choices/lack of choices confused with ACHE for them to walk with Jesus... and i distinctly hear Jesus saying, "be still. come to me with your heavy burden. pray" I read these verses (below) and i hope they fall like rain on the hearts of these ladies...that in my small space of a little apartment, 3 babies, a bit o' craziness and lots of adjustment happening in our home/my life-- i want these verses to be spoken into these girl's hearts. i hope it's not too late. i hope it's not a lost cause. my faith shows it's clay feet here--as i wonder if it's a lost cause and i should just 'let them be 'just fine' and love them 'just the way they are' and surrender the burning...' but... i dont. think. that's. what. I'm. supposed. to. do... and so it is with great burning and zeal I commit to memorizing these verses these next couple weeks...for the sake of love. for the sake of passion. for the sake of sister's hearts whom i hope to be cultivated and grown...
"and so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filed with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
reference for two verses above - colossians 1:9, 10
Thank you for your authenticity, Angel. You have clearly taught me the power of Scripture memorization, and I am blessed by every verse I can get to stick in my brain.
"But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of this world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him."
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
Hi friend! Thanks for your vulnerability. I know you've been having to practice it in new and uncomfortable ways lately. I'm not at all tempted to pity you, but certainly myself and others are moved to compassion for you, the kind like Jesus had which led to action, intercession, and surrounding you emotionally and spiritually in your trials. I'm praying you're openly embracing help and the compassionate acts of others right now. We all have our times of being on the receiving end of the functions of the body of Christ. And I love what you said about blogging. So true, good reminders. Last month. I memorized 2 Tim 2:15:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who Has no need of being ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Right now I'm working on Isaiah 50:4-? And it's not easy but pressing on with you. Hugs.
You are amazing, Angel! I love that even in this season you are pushing through to focus on mediating and memorizing God's word.
At Retreat de Moxie, I realized that I need to go back and review verses that I thought I had committed to memory. I'm going to spend the next few weeks reviewing my entire packet to ensure that I indeed have committed this words to memory and ask that God would use them when the need/situation/event arises.
Thanks for everything you said in this entry Angel :) This verse is definitely going to help me as I get started with my new career as a nurse :)
"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially in the family of faith" Galatians 6:9-10
You know what? I got my verse from last time really memorized because I didn't start a new one on Oct 1st :) I really like this post, Angel. I always really wish that I could just have a lot of my verses quickly in mind, and it clicked a few weeks ago, "Well I just have to review them, every single day." I don't know why I had never cared enough to do that before, or why I thought that I would be able to have things fully memorized without that. Silly, huh?
IS 14:24, NIV
The LORD Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen."
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