I recently watched a YouTube interview by David Perell with the poet Dana Gioia. Though I hadn’t heard of Gioia before, I was struck by his depth of knowledge and love for language. He mentioned that while reading; he records memorable lines and ideas in what he calls Commonplace Books. I love that concept—especially when it comes to reading the Bible.
Gioia’s habit reminded me how powerful it is to retain what moves us—whether by writing it down or, in the case of Scripture, committing it to memory.
For years, I believed I couldn’t memorize Scripture. That changed in 2006 when I read Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney. One of the disciplines he emphasizes is Bible intake—reading and memorizing God’s Word. I had been a daily Bible reader for many years, but in 2007, twenty-five years after my baptism, I gave memorization a try. To my surprise, I could do it!
Today, I’ve memorized seventy-nine passages ranging from one to four verses each. Every week, I recite and review them all—eleven or twelve daily—and I add a few new ones each year. Reciting these verses is a joy, not a chore, because I’ve chosen passages that speak deeply to me.
While working on this article, I realized that most of my blog posts—and even my two novels—have grown out of meditating on these memorized passages, woven together with my reflections on life.
What about you? Do you have favorite passages of Scripture? Have you tried memorizing them? I’d love to hear what you’ve found helpful—or what’s held you back.
Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash
No I haven’t tried to memorize any complete bible verses other than those from my childhood and some my children had to recite such as from 2 Timothy. But now that I think about it I do have some favorites of my own such as from Ecclesiastes that I love. I will try to memorize more complete verses.
Joycelyn,
That’s great! You’ll have to figure what method works for you. I start by writing out the passage by hand. I also print them on business cards. Thanks for your comment.
Chuck, I use bible verses as my mantra for the days or the experiences in the days that seem overly challenging. Such as , when I’m fearful going into a carwash or elevator (alone) then I go to Phil 4:13 . I like Phil 4:8 too, when I’m feeling down. I repeat, repeat repeat until it penetrates my heart.
Hi Mary,
That’s good. The scriptures can help you overcome challenges. Thanks for your comment.