By Wendy Hinote Lanier

In early 20^th century America, memorization and recitation were common practices. In fact, recitations were considered a form of entertainment. My dad fondly recalls seeing Sir John Gielgud appear on stage at the state college he attended in the 1950s. Sir John arrived wearing a regular suit and took the stage alone. But when he recited Shakespeare, it was as if the stage was suddenly filled with the characters he voiced. I’m sure this was due largely to Sir John’s prowess as an actor. But my dad was also impressed by the fact that there was no book or script in sight. It was all from memory.

As a kid growing up in an Assemblies of God church, I was frequently called upon to memorize scripture. There were weekly memory verses, Missionette badges requiring memorization of the Bible, and a yearly camp scholarship that could be earned by memorizing and reciting key verses. My mom always insisted I earn the scholarship, although I suspect she paid my camp fees anyway.

My mom was also a student of the word. The scripture she read and studied became part of her instruction to me. She poured scripture into me on a regular basis, and I’ve tried to do the same with my own girls. One day, when my youngest was about three, I passed her room on my way to the laundry. I never did find out exactly what was bothering her, but I remember vividly seeing her praying with eyes squeezed shut as she said, “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind!” (2 Timothy 1:7) She shook her head from side to side with each word for emphasis. I decided not to intervene. She was combating her fears just the way I had taught her. She was using her Sword of the Spirit (the Word), and I figured there was nothing I could add. She was already using the most powerful weapon at her disposal.

God’s Word is many things, but its most important function is as our weapon against the enemy. Ephesians 6 tells us to take on the full armor of God so that we can stand our ground when the day of evil comes. Verse 17 identifies our sword as the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” In order to use that sword, it must be at the ready. The only way that can happen is if we have hidden it in our hearts.

Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” To hide it in our hearts means to know it so well that it springs to mind whenever a situation calls for it. It’s like having your sword at the ready at all times.

These days, memorizing scripture is less common. Sunday school is a thing of the past in most denominations, and children are seldom called upon to recite the Bible from memory. And that’s not a good thing. By not insisting our children memorize key scriptures, we leave them unable to defend themselves against the attacks of the enemy. But we can reverse this trend by making memorization of scripture a priority in our homes. Here are some ways to do that:

Write it down.

Choose a passage of scripture to memorize. Write it down on an index card. Place the card where it will be seen several times a day.

Let each member of the family write their own index card. If everyone is working on the same passage, the index cards will be sprinkled throughout the house. Choose a new family scripture to memorize each week or month.

Stage a family recitation day. If everyone is successful in reciting the scripture, take everyone out for ice cream, to the park for an outing, or some other activity everyone enjoys.

Print the verse on card stock. Laminate if possible. Then cut the page into puzzle pieces. Store in a baggy or envelope. Bring out the puzzle at mealtimes or during activity time.

Write each word of the scripture on a separate index card. Shuffle the cards and allow family members to race to see who can construct the verse in the fastest time.

After constructing the target scripture with the individual word cards, leave the cards out on the table but remove two or three words. Let each family member practice reading the scripture and filling in the missing words. To make it harder, remove more words.

Say it out loud.

Play a game using the target Bible verse. Toss a ball from one person to another saying one word of the verse with each toss. See how quickly you can finish the verse.

Encourage every family member to say the target verse aloud during their daily devotion time or while getting dressed in the morning. Then say the verse together when the family gathers for a meal.

Find more memorization games at Vibrant Christian Living https://vibrantchristianliving.com/games-memorize-bible-verses/

Sing Bible songs.

Teach your family songs from scripture you may have learned in the past. Even though they may not be the latest in Christian worship songs, if they are based on the Bible, they’ll never go out of style. A search for “scripture songs” on the web may help jog your memory.

Look for videos and recordings that are scripture set to music. Make them a part of your family library. Some suggestions are:

Seeds Family Worship  https://www.amazon.com/s?k=seeds+family+worship&geniuslink=true&linkId=3d3560a92ce48d9efbd15bd10470f690&tag=vibranthomesc-20&ref=as_li_ss_tl

Steve Green’s Hide’em in Your Heart https://www.amazon.com/Hide-Em-Your-Heart-Vol/dp/B001EJH4SW?tag=vibranthomesc-20&geniuslink=true

Play Bible quiz games.

Play Bible Trivia as a family or purchase the game for use in your child’s youth group.

Search for Bible quizzes on the internet. Pose scripture-based questions at the dinner table as a way to promote family discussion. If doing this daily seems overwhelming, set a goal to do it at least once a week.

Some denominations have Bible quiz contests. For example, the Assemblies of God have a national Bible Quiz competition. They announce a new topic each year. Participants learn scripture and facts based on the topic. I understand the national competition is pretty intense.  

Memorizing scripture is no longer common practice. If our children are going to have opportunities to hide the Word in their hearts, we’re going to have to be more intentional about making that happen in our homes. We must provide the opportunities and encourage the practice of memorization by modeling it for our kids. We ALL need to hide the Word in our hearts—no matter how old we are.

#christianhomeschool  #christianfamilylife  #christianteachers  #christianeducation  #trainupachild  #Bibleskills

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Wendy Hinote Lanier is a former elementary teacher and a Texan through and through. She writes and speaks for children and adults on a variety of topics. She is also the author of more than 45 books for children and young adults on topics related to science, technology, social studies, the arts, and, of course, Texas. Her most recent book, with co-author Michelle Medlock Adams, is Puppy Dog Devotions: 75 Fun Fido Facts, Bible Truths, and More! published by Iron Stream Media. Her first picture book, Too Many Pigs in the Pool, debuts Spring 2022 from Sleeping Bear Press.