Why It’s So Important To Memorize Scripture

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11

I have a lot of shoes.

Many people would probably say I have too many shoes. I, however, don’t even believe that’s possible. Shoes are by far my favorite accessory, and that will never change.

As I’m writing this devotional right now, I’m looking at my shoe rack, which holds most of my shoe collection. It’s covered in a variety of shoe types – sandals, sneakers, boots, pumps, wedges, slippers, mules, and the list goes on. I have shoes for any and every occasion. It’s something I pride myself in.

I look at it as being prepared. In the middle of the hot summers here in the south, I have sandals to keep my feet cool and stylish. When the Kentucky winter settles in later this year, I’ll have boots to keep me warm. When I have a wedding to attend, I have heels to go with any dress I find. Like I said, I’m prepared.

With this in mind, you’d probably agree that it wouldn’t be wise for me to only have one pair of shoes, especially considering I live in a state that can be 90 degrees in one season and -8 degrees in a different season. I need different shoes for different circumstances, right? Of course!

Now, I want you to think about memorizing Scripture in the same way. (Hard right turn, I know, but stick with me.)

Many believers often have 1-2 or maybe even a handful of Bible verses that they’ve memorized. John 3:16 is obviously a popular one that many people have committed to memory. In addition to this one, a lot of people memorize a couple of others, maybe one from Psalms, Proverbs, or one of the gospels. And that completes their arsenal of memorized verses.

I believe that when we choose to only commit a handful of verses to heart, we are missing out on the vastness of God’s Word. The Bible has so much to say – so many different passages that can help us with any circumstance or situation we find ourselves in. And it breaks my heart that most of us aren’t as prepared as we could be to confront these situations with Scripture because we haven’t taken the time to hide God’s Word in our hearts.

To put it plainly, while John 3:16 is an amazing verse, it doesn’t address every single situation or hardship we’ll face in this life. That’s why God gave us so much more in His Word than just a handful of verses.

Now, I know memorizing Scripture can be hard. It’s intimidating, and it’s a hard habit to not only implement but stick to. To be honest with you, this is a discipline I know I have plenty of room to grow in, but one I want to grow in desperately. When I have taken the time to memorize Scripture, it’s been incredible to see the different instances when God has brought His Words to the forefront of my mind when I’ve needed them most. I want to have more experiences like that. And friend, I want you to have more experiences like that, too.

I want to have more verses memorized than I have shoes. (Trust me, that’s a lofty goal.) But I want this because I want to be as prepared spiritually as I am with my footwear. I want to have God’s Word hidden in my heart so that whenever I need to encourage a friend, fight against temptation, or remind myself of a promise when I’m feeling down, God will be able to bring verses to mind that I’ve memorized right when I need them.

So let’s make the choice today to begin memorizing more of God’s Word. Just start with just one or two verses this week. Then as time goes on, you can add another verse next week, and another after that. Do whatever you have to do to keep God’s Word in front of you. Change the background on your phone. Write the verse on your mirror. Put the verse on sticky notes and place them around your house. However we go about it, let’s choose to get creative as we memorize the words God so graciously gave us in Scripture, and watch how His Word transforms our lives in the process.