Over the last year, I’ve memorized over 300 verses of Scripture. I started with Tim Brister’s “memory moleskine” on Philippians in January 2011. A group of guys from church worked on that through Easter. During the summer, I learned the “Songs of Ascent” (Psalms 120-134). I had previously read through those psalms at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Those words had an impact on my time there, and I wanted to learn them. This fall, I memorized the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew, chapters 5-7 – again with a group from church, including my wife.

I’ve been reading and studying various books of the Bible for church over the decades, yet I’ve never sat down to memorize Scripture. Since I’ve been an adult, I’ve never hidden God’s word in my heart. It feels like I’ve wasted years of my life that I could have spent learning the Bible. God’s word seems so much more precious to me now.

Needless to say, I’m hooked. I plan to continue working through Scripture, memorizing passages from the Old and New Testament. I’m going to work on a short NT book next, Philemon, but my goal is to learn one of the songs of the “Suffering Servant” in time for Easter (April 8, 2012). I’m looking at the passage in Isaiah 51:13-53:12. I’ve broken it into five weeks, with three verses each week. I hope the pacing will encourage more within my church to participate with me. After that, I will go into another NT book, possibly Colossians or James.

I’m excited about next year!