Meditation Mondays – An Invitation

A year ago, I did something new for me. I set a goal for the new year when one of my friends invited me to join her in the Siesta Scripture Memory Team on Beth Moore’s blog. The commitment was to memorize two scriptures per month for the next year.

Growing up in a Christian home, I was pretty sure I’d already memorized all of the “important” verses of the Bible, but God humbled me pretty quickly on that notion. I began to think about the vast number of promises, instructions, and challenges that are contained in the pages of God’s Holy Word. I also felt ashamed when I thought back to the last time I’d made a real effort to commit a verse to memory. Oh, I’d posted a verse on my bathroom mirror here and there, or recalled verses I’d memorized in the past, but the last time that I could remember really putting effort into memorizing a Bible verse was when it counted for a grade in college.

So, I did it. I bough a spiral note card book and got to work. Did I flawlessly memorize every verse word-for-word? Honestly, no. But I did see a dramatic shift in more aspects of my life than I would have ever believed possible. I began listening to sermons more intently to find verses that resonated so I could memorize them. I started taking notes when doing my personal devotions. For the first time, I really started to comprehend what it meant to truly meditate on God’s Word. I could continue writing about how dramatically this act changed my perspective and well-being for the better for much longer, but I want to save time to issue my challenge to you. Please hear me out!

I know all of the excuses that we human beings have as to why we “can’t” do it. We’re SO busy. We never were that good at memorizing things. We won’t get it perfect. We need to get through our current season of life and THEN we’ll get to it. We don’t want to make another resolution we will probably not fulfill. This whole scripture memory thing is not for average people like me. I read my Bible; that’s enough.

I’ve either heard or believed each of these excuses more than one time. But the fact is, once I finally took a risk and made it a priority in my life, God began blessing my life. No, this past year was not flawless. In fact, some of my most challenging times came over the course of the past twelve months, yet I did not feel nearly as desperate, alone, offended, or upset as I used to. My circumstances haven’t changed, but my heart has, and I have faith that God will see me through the trials ahead because I’ve become more intimately aware of His promises and instructions.

Will you take on this challenge to memorize God’s Word this year? I have been praying for months now that more people will join me on this journey to truly knowing God’s Word as we journey through 2012. Let me also challenge you to not take this challenge on silently. Accountability is crucial. Something as big as memorizing God’s Word will come with strong opposition from Satan, and you will be tempted to give it up and add another excuse as to why you can’t do it to your already lengthy list. Don’t be intimidated to make your decision known. God will bless you and empower you to accomplish the task at hand.

Here’s what I’m asking you to do.

1. Pick a verse to memorize during the month of January. I’m just going with one verse to memorize per month this year.

2. Write the verse down and put it somewhere you will see it regularly. My dear friend Jen wrote a great post here giving several ideas of places to display scripture throughout your home.

3. Go to my Facebook page and add your verse to the wall. One of the things that I loved about adding my verse to the online accountability group I participated in last year was looking through all of scriptures that women were meditating on. It always blessed my heart to see God’s Word displayed in that way. Plus, it sometimes gave me an idea for a verse to memorize in the future more than once. (P.S. If you don’t already like my page, you should take a second to do it so you can keep up with the others who will be memorizing verses alongside us this year!)

4. Memorize it! Meditate on it. Apply it to your current life’s situations. Feel the power of the Holy Spirit take over. You will most probably feel conviction at different times, but I promise if you work through it all with God that you will find a peace that will blow you away.

I need accountability this year. Will you please join me? Next Monday, I’ll share some more tips I’ve learned about choosing and memorizing verses successfully, but in the meantime, get busy choosing this month’s verse!

Here’s mine!

Behold, I am doing a new thing;
   now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
   and rivers in the desert.
~Isaiah 43:19