Everyone can memorize Scripture. It is a common fallacy among Christians that the ability to remember passages of the Bible is a special ability bestowed upon a chosen few. We hear a preacher quoting lengthy chapters, and we sigh wistfully, "Oh, how I wish I had that gift!"

That is a big mistake. The great question we have to face is not, "Can I memorize Scripture?" but, "Do I want to memorize it?" If our desire to do it is strong enough, we will surely succeed.

Reasons Why

Why should Christians be interested in committing Bible portions to memory? There are many good reasons, but here are just a few:

1. It is a sacred deposit for time and eternity. Any Bible knowledge you gain down here will go with you into heaven. Other forms of learning will be quite useless in heaven, but "the word of the Lord endureth for ever" (1 Peter 1:25).

2. It is an aid to holy living. The Psalmist said, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee" (Psalm 119:11). Do you remember how the Lord Jesus met the temptations of Satan in the wilderness? He quoted Scripture (Matthew 4:4,7,10). The enemy flees when we use the Sword of the Spirit on him.

3. It is a means of guidance. That is what David meant when he said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). The lamp and the light tell us where to place the next step. That is just what the Bible will do if we have treasured it in our memories (Deuteronomy 6:6).

4. It is an invaluable help in winning others to Christ. It is not our own words that really matter in pointing souls to the Saviour. It is the Word of God, which is "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). Can you quote appropriate verses when you witness to the unsaved?

5. It is a wonderful source of comfort (Romans 15:4). Oftentimes situations arise in life where we are not able to open or read a Bible. If, however, we have memorized its precious promises, they will speak comfort to us at every time of need.

If a Christian really wants to memorize Scripture, but finds it too difficult, what should he do? There is a tested and proven answer. Pray about it. Tell the Lord that you want to memorize verses of the Bible, and He will give you needed help (Psalm 37:4).

What To Memorize

One of the first questions to be answered is, "What shall I memorize?" The following suggestions have been found to be helpful:

1. The beginner will probably want to start with single Bible verses. He may choose a series of basic Gospel verses, a selection of precious promises, or a group of verses dealing with any particular Bible subject, then learn them one by one.

2. From there, he can advance to chapter memory. Some favorite choices in this classification are Psalm 23, Isaiah 53, John 1 and 17, 1 Corinthians 13, and Hebrews 1 and 11.

3. Then there is the memorization of complete books of the Bible. This is one of the finest ways of really understanding the message of a book. Few methods of study yield greater returns.

Nothing said here will do any good if not put into practice. Start today!

—Guide to Christian Growth, by William MacDonald & Cyril H. Brooks