Daily Post: Memorize
There were times in the past when I almost lost myself; awakening a fearsome reality; not knowing where I was, or how I got there. I may be 63 years old, but I’m not having a “senior” moment here. These were real events, with real long-term issues to face, and memorized answers just wouldn’t cut it any more.
Do you ever feel there are days when 2 + 2 +2 does not equal 6? Sometimes it seems to be 222, and other days maybe only 5.5, and I think I know the answer… but, I just can’t remember.
A few years ago I wanted to be a better communicator so I took a memorization course, or was it 25 years ago? I can’t remember. It was one of those “visualization” methods, where everything you wanted to remember was tucked away in your mind with visual cues, supposedly resulting in instant recall of valuable information. The technique became so cumbersome for me that I couldn’t remember why I wanted to memorize stuff better in the first place.
I almost forgot who I was. I was a person. I had real feelings just like other regular people. I had hidden places inside me that were almost dead, and then they weren’t anymore. Even though I had helped people with these same kinds of issues, it seemed because of my position, I wasn’t supposed to be plagued with the concept of just being human. I struggled to remember just what it was like to be accepted for being me.
We, the human creatures inhabiting this planet, have the great privilege of having minds which can think and choose and remember. All too often we don’t.
Thinking before speaking requires a great deal of effort. The proliferation of tweets or posts which destroy people and perpetuate hate, is evidence that too few people know how to think through things anymore.
Choosing to slow down and filter thoughts through some sort internal vetting system was simple when I was growing up. My mother said “count to ten before you say something.” I think most people today don’t count at all, much less to ten.
Remembering to think, or choosing to slow down, seems a lost art in our world. Even among Christ-followers, I’ve watched over the last month just how human we all are. Forgiveness and grace are concepts we love to talk about, but aren’t too keen on doling out.
When my son was just three years old or so… (I can’t remember)…. he walked into the room one day and said to his mother, “Do you want to hear my Bible verse.” Of course, she’s thinking, “God is Love” or some other such three-year-old verse, right? She said, “sure, tell me your verse.” So he did, in his three-year-old verse voice he said:
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. [Ephesians 4:32]
Needless to say, she was shocked. When I returned home from a hard day’s work, at supper she said to my son, “Why don’t you tell daddy your verse.” And he did it again. He didn’t miss a beat, he didn’t blink an eye, just like before he quoted it perfectly.
The point of this story is simple. If a three-year-old can memorize a verse this way, clearly our minds are capable of much more than we think, or do. Did my son understand all these words? Forget about it.
Perhaps the world would be a kinder, gentler place today if we could just all live by this one verse, don’t you think? But then, that would require that every human out there, understand the basic tenets of Scripture. And when you pick up the paper to read the headlines, or turn on the TV to listen to the “news,” or open the FaceBook app on your mobile device, it’s clear the world is very far removed from this verse.
If we really wanted to serve God, please God, and bring God glory and honor with our lives, wouldn’t we read and apply, (much less memorize), the Words He gave us to guide our paths?
Psalm 119:11
Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. [NASB]
The King James version says it this way:
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. [KJV]
Whether “hid” or “treasured” is the Word of God the foundation for your life?
Yes, it should be.
Offering forgiveness to others, or showing grace and tender-heartedness to others? It’s not possible without first experiencing these yourself, from God, through Jesus.
But when we do step over this line of faith into Christ, His word is a treasure to guide us along our way.
Memorizing for memorizing’s sake is one thing, remembering who you are in Christ, is quite another.
Don’t forget.
As I was saying... 