Why Memorize?

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If you have spent much time sitting in Sunday School or worship service recently, you’ve probably noticed that when the teacher says to “get our your Bibles and turn to…”

…only a few people reach for an actual book. Many people in the class immediately reach for their smartphone. What a blessing it has been to have the technology to carry the entire Bible, even multiple translations, in a device that fits in the palm of your hand. You can even have commentaries and other Christian literature right alongside it. Not only does it mean that modern worshipers don’t have to haul a large bound copy of The Bible to church with them, but can put at the scripture student’s fingers an entire library that would take a wagon to move if it were made of physical books. And now people who might not have taken a Bible even to church with them can take it to work, school, and everywhere. What an innovation!

However, with that innovation comes a pitfall. I have heard multiple people say, “Well, why do I need to memorize scripture? I always have it with me. It’s right here in my phone. I always have my phone with me.”

There are many reasons to memorize scripture, but the absolute most compelling reason is found in 2 Timothy. Simply stated, study of the scriptures is required…it is commanded in scripture. STUDY.

But wait, you may say…study does not necessarily mean memorizing, does it? No, it doesn’t. To understand the extent of what “study” would entail to someone familiar with the scriptures they were being told to study, you have to look at the Old Testament. A student of the Old Testament would know that study was described in those scriptures in places like this:

Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119:11)

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down , and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

In a culture where many people did not read, and even fewer could afford their own copies of scripture, talking about God’s word constantly and teaching it diligently could not have mean opening their Bible and reading it. To have these words to talk about and teach to their children at all times would have meant memorizing them.

Clearly, God’s word is meant to be memorized and studied on a regular basis, not set on a shelf to open when we have a time of crisis or stored in our iPhone until we need it. With that in mind, we’ll memorize a verse per week on this blog…starting with 2 Timothy 2:15, listed above, as a reminder of why it is we are memorizing.