Technology is messing with my ability to make my brain reliable.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older (I hit a birthday with a zero last fall, and it’s hit me kinda hard), or I’m just relying more and more on my phone and less on my brain. I don’t have many phone numbers memorized anymore –or addresses. How about you?
There’s just no “need” to memorize stuff these days. Which leads me to the today’s prayer, number 7 of the 13 I pray regularly for you:
The prayer:
That you would memorize scripture to light your way.
Why it matters:
Fill your brain to avoid sin:
Ps. 119.11 “Your word I have hid in my heart that I would not sin against you.” This is a terrific thing. You get to decide how to fill your mind. GIGO-Garbage In, Garbage Out, as they say. I could fill my brain with baseball stats, the names of every dinosaur imaginable, or every character name/plot line of the most popular TV series of the day.
I could. Because I do know some of these things. I am capable of memorizing stuff – when it’s important to me.
So why don’t I take Scripture memory more seriously? For me, its always been a numbers thing. I have MANY verses “Memorized” but since I don’t know the corresponding address, I had to add those quotation marks, making it “memorized.”
The words stick (I am a writer, after), but the numbers all get jumbled in my head.
His words
So I recently decided that God wouldn’t care that I don’t know the address because I knew His words. It’s not the address that tells me how to treat my neighbor. (I’m not going to remind you to “Mark 12:31,” am I?) Nope. So I’m challenging to you to soak your brain in the words.
Brain aids in “balance”
Ps. 37:31 says, “The law of his God is in his heart, his steps do not slip.” Having fallen twice this past year, the word slip really got to me. Unfortunately this is a word picture of untrustworthiness.
Memorized Scripture keeps us balanced on what God has in mind for us, and if we have a brain full of it, our walk/path will be much more steady and sure.
Internalized scripture leads to praise and answered prayer:
In Col 3:16, we see the following: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” And in John 15;7, it says, “If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” For His words to ABIDE in us, they must remain in the brain, right?
With our brain full of scripture, we become transformed, so it’s a small thing for huge impact. I’m not suggesting you memorize a verse a day. Start small. Meditate on a verse. Write it on an index card and stick it on a visible spot. Do hand lettering or Bible journaling. The fact is that the more time you spend with those precious words, they more they will stick in your brain.
Abba Father, help us to absorb Your precious words into both our brain and our life. May You use Your words to guide us in Your way, nurture us with Your love, and keep us from sin.
Thank you for stopping by. Look here for links to explore the other prayers. Connect with me on social media as @13prayers.
by 