Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts

Why do we focus on memory verses? Why do we make little charts and hand out prizes when children memorize parts of Scripture? Why is it so important? 

"I have hidden your word in my heart so that I won't sin against you."
{Psalm 119:11 NIRV}

I have been thinking about this a lot this past week. I am going to be encouraging the Grade 2-4 children in Kidztown to memorize Psalm 23 to be able to quote it from the front on a Sunday morning. 

But why? 

From when I was younger to college to now, I have been encouraged to memorize Scripture. I always saw it as hard work. I'm not good at memorizing things. I find that I can only remember part of the verse and then I have to look it up anyways to read the rest of it. 

 "A good man says good things. These come from the good that is put away in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is put away in his heart. Their mouths say everything that is in their hearts." 

{Luke 6:45 NIRV} 

Your heart determines what you say and who you are. A good man says good things, but an evil man says evil things. If I have Scripture in my heart, then I will naturally speak the things of God. I will be able to encourage people around me with the words of God from His Word. Why wouldn't I want this?

In one of my travels around the internet this week, I found this great article on childrensministry.com. The author talks about the importance of memorizing Scripture, especially in this day in age of iPhones, iPads and the internet. It is so easy to look up a verse quickly on biblegateway.com. 

I love this quote from Phil Vischer (the creator of Veggie Tales and "What's in the Bible?"): "I don't think the verse says, 'Thy Word have I hid in my iPad,' " says Vischer. "God's Word transforms us when it's internalized. Until kids are born with [memory] card slots in their heads, this means they need to internalize God's Word the old fashioned way-by learning it." (found in the article on childrensministry.com)  

The point of memorizing isn't to look up a verse at lightening speed. When we memorize Scripture, it transforms us. 

So how?  

  When you are encouraging the children in your class to memorize a verse, explain the verse to them. Talk about the meaning behind what they are memorizing. Instead of just having words in their minds, help them have the understanding behind the verse.

I will be memorizing or re-memorizing Psalm 23 along with the children in Kidztown. I want to encourage you to find a verse, a passage, or if you are really ambitious, a whole book of the Bible and memorize. Meditate on it day and night and let it transform you. 


Read the article from childrensministry.com here.