Thursday, March 05, 2015

Low-tech learning

Photo from Photos Public Domain
 Although I work at memorizing God's Word regularly, this year I got more serious about it.  I set a goal to memorize or review one Scripture verse (or short passage of Scripture) every week in 2015.  I put the numbers 1 through 52 on a page in my prayer journal and began listing down verses I wanted to learn or review.  I think I have chosen verses for about half the weeks in the year, and am always coming across more in my Bible reading that I want to learn.

Memorizing has come quite easily to me in the past, but this year I have been really struggling with it.  (Think that's because I set a goal to be faithful in this area?  Possibly!) Over the months of January and February, I learned only three short passages -- a total of six verses.  Not bad, but far from the goal I had set.

I had written the verses for each week out on index cards, but then I would forget to read them over.  Years ago a friend had shared with me that reading a passage aloud three times each day helped her learn it, and I had tried that method and found it to be helpful.  Yet it didn't help if I forgot to pick up the card, or turn to it in the Bible, and read it.  I began to wonder what other helps I might try.

Then we had a discussion in Sunday School about combining disciplines to make time for prayer.  One of the thoughts that came out in the discussion was the tried-and-true practice of writing out a Bible verse and then propping it above the kitchen sink where you will see it every time you're at the sink.  I used to do this, years ago, but had gotten away from it.  So I decided to try it again.
From Photos Public Domain
I wrote out the next passage on my list on a card and propped it on the kitchen windowsill.  Wow!  What a difference that simple practice has made.  I invariably glance at the verse anytime I'm at the sink.  When I'm washing dishes, I find myself repeating the verse.  I think its truths are actually sinking down into my soul and taking root, rather than just being learned by rote.
The passage I'm currently learning
Do you use this Bible memory method?  Or does something else work better for you?  If you've not tried this, or if it's been awhile, grab an index card and jot down a verse to learn.  I think you'll be surprised.  It certainly is working well for me!


5 comments:

  1. A great idea Mrs T. I should work more at memorization but like you I really struggle with it!! I think part of it is an old brain that cannot retain the things it once did. Thanks for the encouragement.

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  2. You are welcome, Arlene! I am so surprised about how this simple, and far from new, aid to memorizing has helped me. Hope you try it, too. I think you will be as surprised as I was!

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  3. Since I have a long commute I had begun to keep my memory verse in the car, but good habits are so hard to form and solidify and even if you are doing well, if you don't keep working at it... well, it just falls apart. I have done the card system. My folks used to have a little box on the table with verse cards and we'd read one each morning and then talk about it again at night. I gotta get back in the habit of memorizing again.

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  4. I used to do the card system too, years ago, and then I started trying to learn longer passages -- like Proverbs 31:10-31 and even entire chapters like John 14. I found it easier to memorize those as a whole -- not verse by verse on individual cards -- and I think that's how I got away from the card idea. For now, it surely has jump-started my memorizing again.

    That box of verse cards on the table is a good idea. Do you have one for Brandon? I know your table isn't that big, but maybe you could find another convenient place to put one.

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  5. With Brandon we've been doing evening devo, but not memorizing yet. He is good at memorizing though.

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