A couple of weeks ago, I was chatting with a young woman, whose parents I have known since before they met and married – and I was sharing how it’s important for us to ‘exercise’ our memory ‘muscle’ on a regular basis.
She looked at me, horrified. “But if I can’t remember something, I just google it,” she exclaimed. “Why would I want to memorise it?”
I gently reminded her that, back in the analogue era, before her generation of digital natives had even been conceived, the concept of ‘googling’ didn’t exist – and memorising things mattered.
Needless to say, she couldn’t conceive of a world without Google, and I came away feeling decidedly middle-aged!
But it also got me thinking …
***
In Psalm 119:11, the Psalmist prays to God, saying, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
He knows his need for God’s word to be securely tucked into his heart. He knows God’s word will help him differentiate between right and wrong. He knows God’s word will help to guard him from going against God’s best for his life.
We can follow his example, by reading God’s word – meditating on it, memorising it, allowing it to sink down deep, and hiding it in our hearts.
Then we can draw on it when we need it – in the same way that water is drawn from a well.
But we don’t do this alone. We do it with the help of the Holy Spirit. It’s why Jesus says, in John 14:26, “ … the Holy Spirit … will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
It’s the Holy Spirit who gives us the ability to recall and remember Jesus’ words. But the Holy Spirit needs us to have internalised those words. He needs us to have memorised them. He needs us to have hidden them in our hearts.
It’s the memorised word of God that will sustain and strengthen us in tough times. It’s the memorised word of God that will raise our faith in tough times. It’s the memorised word of God that we will wield when we are in spiritual warfare during tough times. As Hebrews 4:12 tells us, ” … the word of God is living and active; sharper than a double-edged sword … “
In a world that is full of endless distractions and entertainment, competing voices and conflicting messages, how many of us need the help of the Holy Spirit to hold onto God’s word?
It’s the least we can do to hide it away in our hearts.
***
As we consider this, I’ve got three strands of thought for you to ponder:
Firstly, when was the last time you sensed God speaking to you? What did he say and how did he say it? And how often are you asking the Holy Spirit to help you recall and remember it?
Secondly, when was the last time you committed any of the Scriptures to memory? If it was a long time ago, why don’t you start by memorising a single verse?
Do what you can to get it hidden in your heart! Set it as your screen save. Stick it on the fridge. Pin it on the bathroom mirror. Repeat it to yourself while you clean your teeth. Don’t give up until it’s sunk deep into your spirit!
And thirdly, if memorisation is a challenge for you, what could you do to make more space in your life to meditate on the word of God?
As ever, constructive comments are welcome below.
(Please note: This is my ‘thought for the month’ reflection for April. You can find all my ‘thought for the month’ reflections here.)
Photo from Klim Kin via Pixabay
