Memorising Scripture

The importance of learning Scripture by heart cannot be overemphasised. The followers of some pagan religions are often required to learn their sacred writings by heart.

For instance, no one can teach in a Mohammedan mosque until he has first memorized the entire Koran! One missionary tells that for 21 hours she heard a group of Buddhist priests quoting their devotional literature from memory, seldom if ever making a mistake. A Christian once gave a Bible to a humble villager in eastern Poland. Returning a few years later, he learned that 200 people had become believers through using it. When the group gathered to hear him preach, he suggested that before he spoke he would like each person to quote some verses of Scripture.

One man rose and said, "Perhaps, Brother, we've misunderstood you. Did you mean verses or chapters?" The missionary was astonished. "Are you saying there are people here who could recite complete chapters of the Bible?" That was precisely the case. In fact, 13 of them knew half of Genesis and the books of Matthew and Luke. Another had committed all the psalms to memory. Combined, the 200 knew virtually the entire Bible. Are you constantly hiding the Word of God in your heart? If not, begin today!

If the Scriptures are, as Calvin used to stress, “the very words of God” should we not make similar efforts to know them well?

BVP