by: Sandy Domelle
Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
The Bible teaches us that there is a need for us to know and memorize God’s Word. If we don’t memorize it, how can it be hid in our heart? It’s so important to know Scripture and for our children to know it. When the Devil comes and wants to discourage you, challenge your self-worth, tell you can’t make it or tell you that what you’re doing in life doesn’t mean anything, it’s so important that God’s Word is buried deep within your heart. It’s also the reminder that the Holy Spirit can bring to memory when you are tempted to sin. Psalm 37:31 says, “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.”
I remember as a child going to Vacation Bible School and our preacher, Bro. Hyles, would teach a song to the children. “Resist Satan, resist Satan, he will flee, he will flee. He cannot defeat you, if you quote the Bible, he will leave, he will leave.” Do you know that many, many years later, I still often remember that tune when I think of the Devil and his sneaky ways. The power of God’s Word memorized and buried deep within your heart is one of the best tools we have. Having Scripture with which to fight the Devil when he comes to you is one of the best things you can do. Yes, we can pull out our Bible and find many Scriptures that fight the Devil, but what about the dark nights when you are all alone, when your Bible isn’t right at hand, when someone is talking to you and you need to encourage them with Scripture. God’s Word is the one thing that will bless your heart and comfort it when most needed. God’s Word is also that source that tells you everything is going to be okay. Sometimes reading God’s Word and memorizing It isn’t for just encouragement for you alone. It’s those very Scriptures that your mind has dwelt on over and over again that God uses when a friend’s life is falling a part, a child doesn’t feel they can do something or someone is just struggling to belong. Those Scriptures will be the words that will comfort their hearts when there is nothing we can say in our great wisdom, it has to be from the Lord.
Let me encourage you to learn verses on a variety of topics. Verses to encourage, on grace, mercy, love, guidance, wisdom, you can’t go wrong learning any verse in the Bible. I know the older we get the harder it is to remember things, but I find when I have several verses that I read over and over and quote the reference, it’s easier to remember.
We are truly blessed to have God’s Word and to have it so abundantly. Many people across the world still don’t possess their very own copy of the Bible. Every time my dad goes to the mission field and we see pictures when he comes back of them passing out the Bibles, it warms my heart and burdens me to want to be able to get the Bible to those who do not have it. Recently, I challenged the ladies in our missionary circles at our church to go home and count every single Bible they owned in their house. I went through our house and checked every bookcase, night stand and went through every room. I was truly amazed at the number of Bibles we own in our home. I’m sure you would be just as amazed. But do you know what is more amazing? How many people in your home do not memorize God’s Word. It’s one thing to own it, it’s another to read it and even more so to memorize it.
Let me challenge you to memorize God’s Word and to hide it in your heart. There is no wrong way to memorize it. It can be a single verse at a time or a chapter at a time. Do whatever works best for you. Just remember, there will be busy days when you are in great need of God’s Word. What it is hid in your heart it will come out. Hopefully it’s God’s Word that comes out and not the things of the world and/or the Devil. Nothing will guide you, give love and comfort like God’s Word will.