Repetition

Apr 12, 2011 by desiringvirtue

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.” ~Joshua 1:8

I still remember memorizing this verse on my way to youth group. My youth pastor would give us a verse related to our study each week that we were to memorize and be ready to recite the next time we met. More often than not I found myself hurriedly cramming the words down into my brain so that I could impress him and all the other youth who were there. I was usually able to do so, but would soon after forget the precious words that my soul needed for nourishment and growth.

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth.”

I have memorized this verse multiple times now.

“…you shall meditate on it day and night.”

Its words prompt me to take seriously the need I have for the living, God-breathed Scriptures.

“…so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.”

I want to please God; I want to do what his Word commands; I want the deeper fellowship that comes with growth in holiness.

I want his Word in me.

But memorization is so hard. Trust me, it is work. And it is not always work that I look forward to! (Thus the need for growth in holiness!) Sometimes the hardest thing to do is simply pick up my memory verse cards and begin, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret of mine.

The Secret:

Ok, so it isn’t my secret… it isn’t really a secret at all. It is something I learned from John Piper. When asked how he memorizes scripture he said that he:

1. Reads the verse 10 times word for word without attempting to say it from memory.

2. Then he repeats it from memory word for word 10 times.

My Method:

I have found this method very helpful in my own memorization of 1 John. Here is my version of Piper’s exercise:

1. I always begin my quiet time with my memory verses. If I don’t make it a priority it won’t happen. If I tag them onto the end of my quiet time, they end up never getting memorized. This way, no matter what happens I have worked on my memory verses and have meditated on the Word (sometimes that is better than simply reading the Word).

2. The first few days of the week I only follow his first step. I read the verses aloud 10 times through. This gives me an opportunity to become familiar with the verses without being intimidated by the thought of memorizing them. This repetition slowly grinds the words and sentence structure into my brain until they are almost naturally flowing off the tip of my tongue.

3. The next couple days I continue to read them through 10 times and then begin the process of memorization. By now I am so familiar with them that I am reciting them and going back to my cards only to check for small errors or sentence structure issues. I recite the verses 10 times after I have read them aloud 10 times each of those days. This can be a lengthy process, but it is SO worth it.

4. By the last day(s) the need to read the verses aloud is no longer necessary. I simply repeat them 10 times and move on to my reading.

I think that this method of memorization is helpful because you begin with really low expectations. All you have to do is read at first, then slowly those words find their root in your mind, and before you know it they are memorized. You don’t have to fear beginning a new week of memorization because all you are going to do is repeat your verses until you find you no longer need to read them!

Now, this doesn’t take all of the work out of memorization, but it makes the task a lot more approachable to me.

Repetition. Isn’t that exactly what this verse from Joshua is alluding to?

“…meditate on it day and night…”

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

“…that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.”

Joshua says, “Create these ruts of Scripture in your brain so that your actions can naturally fall into them.”

So that is what I am doing these days… creating ruts that will lead me to my Savior.

What methods do you find helpful for memorizing Scripture?

(Photo Credit: Tic)

 

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