Memorizing God’s Word has had a life-changing affect on me. If you find verses that help you and memorize them, God will bring them to your mind when you need them most. For example, I had to have a routine medical screening in Japan. It was not something I looked forward to. I will not go into the whole big, long story. They do things differently in Japan and it was pretty traumatic. I couldn’t talk to the doctors, so my hubby was translating. That was a different stress of its own! As I was lying on the examining table fighting the tears, the Lord brought to my mind 2 Cor. 4:17-18, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” I had instant peace and the tears fled. If I had not memorized those verses, they would not have been there when I needed them most!
I’m not perfect in this endeavor. In fact, I’m far from it. So far, that at times I get discouraged and want to give up. But the Lord keeps drawing me back. He reminds me that He is always there through His Words hidden in my heart. He convicts me of sin through His Words hidden in my heart. He encourages me when I am in the pits through His Words hidden in my heart. He assures me of His love through His Words hidden in my heart. There is no substitute for His Words hidden in my heart.
I hope this series has been a small encouragement to you. If you are already memorizing, keep on keeping on. If you haven’t yet begun, may this be a small nudge to get started. If the words in this series have helped no one, it is o.k. They have helped me. I needed this focus this month to become more faithful in this endeavor. As a missionary trying to learn a foreign language, it is so easy to allow vocab cards to replace verse cards. To be so mentally exhausted after trying to memorize Japanese grammar rules, that I don’t want to work on memorizing anything else. It is certain that “of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” ~Ecc. 12:12-13
I’d love to hear what you are working on. Maybe you have a testimony of how Scripture memory has been a help to you. I’d love to hear from you. Feel free leave a comment below or email me at senkyoushidesu (at) yahoo.com. Thank you for joining me this month. May the Lord bless you as seek Him!
For more 31 Days of Scripture Memory, click here.
For more 31 Days, click here.
Drinking at the Springs 
Kim, I’ve certainly enjoyed meeting you, and following you each day for whatever you had to share about memorizing Scripture. You are a blessing and I will continue to visit when you have something posted because I have you in my “reader”. May the Lord bless you with strength as you are on the road a good deal. I know it isn’t easy.
You have been such an encouragement to me this month. Thank you soooo much!!! I just arrived back in Japan, so jet lag is in full swing. Hoping to use this time to get on an early morning schedule for more consistent Bible memory.
Oh Kim, I have so enjoyed this month of encouragement from you. I was in a slump, and your posts have motivated me. Thank you! {Somehow I missed this post, and didn’t realize you were back in Japan.} May God bless as you serve Him and are ministered to by Him in your Scripture memory. Your post is wonderful. You have said many things that I have thought but not said. I am nearing the end of Philippians chapter 4, the entire book. I don’t always finish the book, so this is good. In 2014 I am planning to memorize 1 Cor. 1-5.
Thanks, Kim. Joyce
I’ve been in a slump myself. Your comments have been an encouragement to me. I hope this month’s focus will spur all of us on to higher things!