I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you...The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold...Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:11, 72, 97

I wish I could remember who first taught me to memorize God's Word.  

Whoever it was, gave me a small packet of business size cards. Each one with a different Bible passage. I was nineteen. A college student at Arizona State University. That was over thirty-five years ago, yet I vividly recall walking through the tree-lined campus, between classes, rehearsing the lines on my cards.

One of the first passages I memorized was John 10:27-29,  "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand." I needed that promise. The assurance that I now belonged to God, and no one could ever steal me away! 

Since those days, I have stored up dozens of Bible verses in my heart. Through them, I learned to walk in faith, to renew my mind, and to walk in victory as I have overcome fears and foes. Of course, I love to encourage others to memorize God's Word as well. Recently, a dear friend told me, "It transforms me from the inside out."

Sadly, I often encounter resistance. I've been told more than once, "I've tried. I just can't do it!"

But, it's not true! I believe everyone can memorize God's Word. Our brain is like a muscle. When exercised regularly, it gains flexibility and strength. When we begin a new exercise program, it is hard at first. It hurts. We want to quit. But when we keep at it, soon we are able to go further and faster, with greater strength and endurance.   

The same is true when we memorize scripture. The only difference, memorizing Scripture holds eternal value, not just temporary results. Here is a list of tips I have found helpful when I hide the precious treasure of God's Word in my heart. 

• Choose Scriptures that have Meaning to You

• Write it Down - 3x5 cards work great

• Read it, Speak it, Sing it, Listen to it

• Learn it in Bits and Pieces 

• Look for Patterns - counts the words in a sentence fragment; find reoccurring words, or letters that begin words, in a phrase

• When Stuck, Think of Something to Trigger the Passage

• Don't Hurry - take your time, let it really sink deep in to your heart

• Rehearse and Review Regularly - even months or years later

• Imagine It - what was it like in those days, who was saying or writing it, who is it being written or told to

• Turn Off the Noise - music, television, podcast...

•  Ask the Holy Spirit to Remind You, When Your Forget 

• Turn Passages into Your Prayers

• Try the Smart Phone App ScriptureTyper -I prefer the old fashioned way, but then again, I am old-er

For thirty-five years, I have memorized verses, passages, chapters, and even a whole book of the Bible. It happened gradually, one word, one phrase, one verse at a time. I am so grateful for the people who challenged me to do this. For memorizing God's Word has become one of the most valuable disciplines in my Christian walk. Truly, the Word of God is more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

I was recently invited to share this message on My Journey of Faith, a blog talk radio show. I hope you will enjoy! (The content on each is a little different).