I’ve come across several comment threads lately in which someone casually mentions their discipline of Scripture memorization. Now, I don’t know what sort of a reaction that topic creates in your life, but in mine it’s not a pretty thought battle. I have to fight the feeling that somehow I am an inferior Christian because memorization is not a regular part of my study of the Scriptures. [ Side note: I call this a "grace check." For more info see Greg Johnson's tract called Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt.]

The truth is that I would love to memorize Scripture. Verses, chapters, even whole books. I’d love to be able to remember the exact place I read a particular verse when I need it, finding it in any Bible that is at hand instead of thumbing through entire books slowly narrowing the location down by such distinctions as which side of the page it’s on - which only works with my own Bible!

The trouble is that, at least for me, rote memorization requires relatively large chunks of uninterrupted time, which are non-existent in my life. So instead of rote memorization, I’ve begun purposely doing a few things that at least keep me in the Word and keep the Word close at hand.

• Scripture memory songs. This is a no-brainer for me. If it’s set to music, it sticks in my head. The bonus is that my kids can do it with me. They’ve learned countless verses by setting them to the tune of children’s songs they already know at Community Bible Study - and in teaching them, I’ve learned them, too! (Imagine that!)
• Learning themes of individual books. Again, this may seem like a beginner’s skill, but it’s very useful to know that Romans talks about the wrath of God and 1 & 2 Peter deal with suffering, etc… when you’re trying to locate that specific verse.
• Scripture hunting. This one is my favorite, and probably the most useful. I regularly hear people quote Scripture without reference. If it’s not intrusive or distracting, I try to locate that exact verse on my own, resorting to a concordance only as a last resort. Try doing this at your next small group meeting or while listening to a sermon. The bonus is that when you find the verse, you get the context!

So, I’m working with my season of life to purposely stay in the Word, but I’m always looking for more things to do to hone my skills in the Scripture. These things work for me. What works for you?