“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” - Psalm 119:11
When a person accumulates worldly treasures, he tends to hide them away. For security reasons, he will hide his precious gems, stocks and valuable documents in a safe, lock-box or a bank's safety deposit box. Our money is hidden in checking and savings accounts rather than under a bed.
Jesus instructed believers to store treasures in heaven. Our treasures are eternally secure there. Thieves, robbers and the government can't touch our treasures in heaven. God is keeping them safe. As believers, we should be living to store as many treasures as possible in heaven. There is no tax on this investment. Be wise and invest in eternal treasures.
Yet there is an unexpected treasure we can enjoy here on earth. God's Word is a wealth of information that has intrinsic value. The value of God's Word can't be estimated. It is one thing to own this treasure, it is another thing to be enriched daily by it.
I believe that when we memorize Scripture, we are storing a treasure in our memory bank. When I was young, I filled my memory with useless information, such as ball scores and meaningless data. Now that I am older (and hopefully, wiser), I want to store something better and more valuable in my memory. Far too many are storing wrong things in their mind. They'll remember a wrong done to them and meditate on this offense for decades. Others will concentrate on anxious thoughts that drains their energy. There are some who fill their minds with ungodly images, leading them into a deep pit of iniquity.
I realize that when I mention Scripture memorization, many will raise an objection about having a faulty memory. Welcome to the club. All of us struggle in this area. As we get older, it is more difficult to memorize Scripture than it was when we were younger.
Yet this venture is worth the work. Scripture memorization is a holy habit we need to invest in. It is an investment. Monetarily, we know that an investment is the act of putting money into an account that is designed to pay a profitable dividend over a long period of time. The same is true of Scripture memorization. We invest our time and effort into the hard work of memorizing Scripture, so that in the long run, we will have a database of God's Word locked into our memory, ready to be retrieved at any time.
How can we make the daily investment of storing this treasure in our hearts?
First of all, select the Scripture you wish to memorize. Start with something small, like a verse or two. Ultimately, you will want to expand your list to included passages and even chapters.
Secondly, set a time each day just for this project. It may be five minutes, ten minutes or more. Be sure to set a time and keep it.
Next, get a plan to memorize and review. Over the years, I've gleaned several ideas from others. The Navigators, for instance, have a Scripture Memorization package that can be purchased. Here are a few books that I recommend: “A Call To Scripture Memory,” by Susan Heck, “His Word in My Heart,” by Janet Pope, “How to Memorize Scripture For Life,” by Andrew Davis, and “Memorize What Matters,” by Josh Summers. You can find these selections on Amazon.com.
Also, share your goals with a partner and review what you've memorized. Speaking the Word aloud is a powerful experience. As you share your progress and struggles with a Christian friend, you get the support you need for long-term success.
Finally, Scripture memorization is a long-term project. Don't expect overnight success. When you invest money in a 401k or a mutual fund, you expect positive results over a long period of time. There will be bumps in the road. This is to be expect with financial investments, but it should also be expected when we store God's Word in our hearts.
Storing Scripture in your memory bank is a great investment that pays great dividends. It is a treasure beyond value.
Store this treasure in your heart beginning today.
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