How to Get a Grip on the Scriptures

“Get a grip!” Many people use this phrase, meaning to get control of oneself or to not get so worked up about something. Can’t stop complaining about things happening in your life? ‘Get a grip!’ If watching the news makes you depressed, ‘Get a grip!’ Consumed with envy over what other people have? ‘Get a grip!’

But there are other, broader senses of that phrase. The most obvious would apply to people who work with their hands, like carpenters, plumbers, or artists. If using a hammer, wrench, or paintbrush, you better ‘get a grip’ if you’re going to accomplish whatever you’re trying to do. When I was taking drum lessons, I discovered ‘getting a grip’ was easier said than done – trying to move quickly around the drum kit, occasionally a drumstick would slip out of my hands.

 

Of even greater importance is getting a grip on a particular pursuit, achieving a measure of mastery in a chosen skill or discipline. I admire people demonstrating great expertise at whatever they do, whether it’s interior design, accounting, teaching, genealogy, mechanics, culinary arts, or other such vocational or avocational interests. But they didn’t achieve their excellence overnight; it took countless hours to ‘get a grip’ – to master what they desired to do.

 

The same holds true in a spiritual sense. For instance, gaining a deep understanding of the Scriptures isn’t something that can be achieved by spending a few minutes now and then. The typical Bible has more than 1,500 pages – the truths they contain are deep enough to fill the lifetime of even the most determined theologian.

 

That doesn’t mean biblical teachings are unfathomable for the ‘layman,’ someone who has never darkened the halls of a seminary, much less preached from a pulpit. To get a grip on the Scriptures, all we need to do is look at our hands. 

 

As I’ve mentioned before, my journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ began years ago when I joined a small group that used study materials developed by The Navigators. Originally focused on ministering to people in the armed forces, the Navs eventually expanded to college campuses and churches. One strategy for teaching how to get a grip on the Bible was what they called “the hand illustration.”

Why the hand? Pick up a Bible with one hand. Then transfer it to your other hand but try holding it only with your little finger. It’ll fall, right? Attempt this again, using only your little finger and thumb. Your grip on the book is tenuous; it can easily be pulled from your grasp. Add a third finger, then a fourth, and finally all five. Now you’ll have a strong grip on the Bible – someone would have a hard time wresting it out of your hand.

 

In a similar sense, it requires five ‘fingers’ to gain a strong grip on God’s Word. Each finger on the hand represents an action step for internalizing the Scriptures and learning how to put the truths and principles into use. The five are to: hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate.

 

Hear. It starts with hearing, whether a sermon at church, a message at a conference, a program on the radio, or even a conversation with a follower of Jesus. As Romans 10:17 explains, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

 

Read. Next comes reading the Scriptures for yourself, seeking to learn who God is and the truths He reveals through His Word. “Blessed is the one who read the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it…” (Revelation 1:3).

 

Study. The third ‘finger’ in this process is studying – when the hard work really begins. It’s more than just reading what the Bible says. It’s digging, seeking to understand its meaning and discover treasures it contains for today and for eternity. In Acts 17:11 we see an example: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” We’re to be like the diligent, studious Bereans.

 

Memorize. When we encounter especially meaningful verses or passages in the Bible, one of the best ways for internalizing them is to commit them to memory. Then, like building a spiritual filing cabinet, they’re accessible for use without having to open a Bible. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says they’re to become such a part of us they work themselves into everyday conversations: “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” 

 

Another passage that affirms Scripture memorization is Psalm 119:9,11 in which King David says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word…. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

 

Meditate. Finally, we have meditation. This isn’t mindless repetition of some mystical mantra, or emptying one’s mind. It’s deeply pondering a specific passage, striving to draw as much insight and understanding from it as you can. Kind of like a cow chewing its cud over and over, seeking to get as much nutrition out of it as possible. This is addressed in Psalm 1:2, which describes a “blessed” man whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.”

 

Do you desire to get a grip on the Word of God, to become a ‘person of the Book’? Then make every effort to hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate. Over time you’ll find the truths of the Scriptures becoming part of you more and more.

Finding Value in ‘Refrigerator Verses’

Almost like it was yesterday, I remember memorizing my first Scripture verse. (Actually, it was more than 40 years ago.) I’d been familiar with several Bible passages for years, but the first one I learned word for word, including its ‘address’ – where it’s found in the Bible – was 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” Another translation says, “Pray continually.”

 

If you want to have early success in the skill of Scripture memorization, that’s a great verse to start with. The one that precedes it is even shorter – “Rejoice always.” There you go, two verses you can commit to memory, consisting of five words in all.

 

Depending on which Bible translation you use, the only that’s shorter is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” But that’s not a verse people cite a lot. The ones about always rejoicing and praying continually are simple, yet practical and profound, the perfect starting point for novice verse memorizers.

 

A while back I heard a speaker refer to “refrigerator verses,” brief Bible passages sometimes printed on refrigerator magnets. These can also serve as handy reminders of truths that are foundational for our faith. 

 

Consider one we occasionally see displayed on a sign someone’s holding up in the end zone bleachers at a football game – John 3:16. It might be the most well-known verse of all: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

 

That one sentence encapsulates the limitless extent of God’s love; what Jesus Christ did on our behalf; and what we must do in response. It’s not as short – more than 20 words – but I’ve known quite a few kindergarten-age youngsters who can recite it by heart.

 

Many other Scripture passages could be good “refrigerator verse” candidates. Maybe a few come to your mind immediately. But someone might ask, “Why bother?”

 

Think of it this way: Whether we’re aware of it or not, we memorize lots of stuff – phone numbers, birthdates and anniversaries, addresses, the Pledge of Allegiance (at least we used to), song lyrics, times when our favorite shows are on TV.  If we can do all that, why’s it so hard to store some meaningful Bible verses into our memory banks? 

 

In striving to grow in our faith, whether we’re new believers or have been followers of Jesus for decades, wouldn’t it make sense to “hide God’s word in our hearts,” as King David declared in Psalm 119:11?

 

I remember a story about Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators and an enthusiastic advocate of Scripture memory. A frequent traveler, sometimes it wasn’t convenient for him to pull out his Bible, or it wasn’t readily available. Especially in parts of the world hostile to Christianity. However, having “hidden God’s word in his heart,” Trotman could readily recall the passages he’d committed to memory.

 

Many of the verses in my blog posts are ones I have memorized over the years, not only through rote repetition but also by often referring to them when circumstances dictated. For instance, when I find myself fretting over something that’s beyond my control, the admonition of 1 Peter 5:7 might come to mind: “Casting all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you.”

 

If I’m particularly concerned and need more to lower my anxiety level, I also consider Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Admittedly, that might be a bit long for a refrigerator magnet, but it’s an amazing assurance.

 

I’ll never forget the time a friend of mine, Pete George, who’s now with the Lord, gave the evening message at a conference. During his talk he cited at least 50 Scripture verses, not to show off his keen memory but to undergird the principles he sought to convey. Not once did he glance at his Bible or notes. Those verses had become part of the spiritual fabric of his being. Quoting them was as natural as breathing.

 

Have you ever tried Scripture memory? There are numerous plans available. However, I’ve found the best approach is when you read a particular verse that resonates with you, especially one that seems to address a situation you’re facing, take a few moments to write it down on an index card. (They still have those, right?) Then review it every day, whether you’re in your car (stopped at a light, not while you’re driving); at your desk at work, or even taped to the mirror in your bathroom.

As the apostle Paul exhorted his protégé, Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When we memorize Scripture, we can file those verses in our spiritual filing cabinet and God through His Spirit can enable us to access them when needed. Even without a refrigerator. 

The Habit of Hiding the Right Words in Our Hearts

How good of a memory do you have? I’d venture to guess it’s a lot better than you think. For instance, you know your name, address and phone number, the names and birthdates of close family members and special friends, and probably several passwords. You know the directions to all of your favorite places, and can recite the days, times and channels of the TV shows you wouldn’t think of missing.

 

How about the lyrics to your favorite songs? Or lines from your favorite movies? If you’re a sports fanatic, you can probably recite lots of information about your favorite teams and recall details of memorable games and individual player performances. Maybe you can recite at least portions of historic documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, or the Gettysburg Address.

 

We could suggest many other categories, but the point is simple: We have pretty good memories, as long as the things we’re remembering seem important enough to us. Which brings us to the topic I’d like to focus on: Scripture memory.

 

Scripture memory? I can almost hear some reading this responding, “Oh, I could never memorize Bible verses.” But in reality, you can – if it’s important enough to you. There’s no secret or magic to it. It’s just, as David wrote of the Scriptures available to him at the time, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:9,11).

There was a time when I, too, would have insisted I couldn’t memorize passages from the Bible. But then I realized that I already had. Dating back to my elementary school days (back then we called it “grammar school”), I had learned a few of the Psalms, since we read them at the beginning of every school day, including psalms 1, 23 and 100. To this day, I can recite them – and it’s partly because of hearing them over and over before we started our classes.

 

Those days, of course, are sadly gone. In the supposed “wisdom” of the U.S. Supreme Court back in the 1960s, they determined the so-called “separation of church and state” – greatly misinterpreted, in my opinion – should prohibit prayer and Bible reading in public schools. It’s still done in many private schools today, but not in most public schools.

 

But I digress. At a marriage conference soon after I came to saving faith in Jesus Christ, the subject of Scripture memorization came up. It wasn’t a stern lecture or even a strongly persuasive presentation. The speakers that day simply pointed out that hiding God’s Word in our hearts is indeed a good idea, whether we’re striving to build a happy marriage, be effective parents, do well at our jobs, or just become good neighbors.

 

To help us, the husband-and-wife duo proposed our first memory verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which says, “Pray without ceasing.” That’s it – three words. I thought, “I can handle that,” and it became the first of many verses and passages I’ve etched into memory over the years.

 

If you think memorizing three words, along with their “address,” is too difficult, what about the verse immediately preceding it: “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Actually, one Bible translation reverses the word count. In it the same verses say, “Be joyful always; pray continually.” The next verse is a bit more complicated, but very doable: “in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

 

The point is, why is it important – or meaningful – to stash such verses into our memory banks? I doubt if God will ask us one day, “And exactly how many verses did you memorize, My child?” But as David stated, it’s the way to “keep our way pure,” to learn how to consistently follow and live for the Lord everywhere and anywhere we go.

 

There’s much more I could say about my experiences with Scripture memory, but a key principle I learned is that the best way for securing them in our minds is to put them into use. For two years I participated in a small group discipleship study developed by The Navigators, and part of the commitment was memorizing specific verses and being able to recite them aloud. This might have seemed daunting to some, but being a goal-oriented person, I gladly accepted the challenge.

 

One week, however, the memory verse was lengthy. Even by breaking it down into sections, I was having trouble remembering it in its entirety. It was even printed on a small card so I could review it in my car – when I was stopped, of course. So one day I asked my assistant if I could review it with him, giving him the card to check my recitation. Saying the passage aloud, and sharing it with another person, was what I needed to cement it into my mind.

 

The verse was 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to ma;. and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 

 

That’s a mouthful, no question, but its message is also very important. How are we to respond when tempted, when sin tries to lure us in? This reminds us that we’re not unique in the temptations we face, and don’t have to submit to them if we turn to God and His power. And it’s helpful to have in our spiritual “filing cabinet” for easy access in times of need.

 

So do you memorize passages from the Bible? If you do, great. If not, you can – if you want to. If you’re not sure where to start, choose a simple one. How about John 10:35, “Jesus wept”? Easy enough for you? Or if you read a verse that seems to speak directly to you, or hear one during a sermon or radio message, try working on that one. Because it’s important to you. Who knows? The practice might be life-changing!

‘Hiding the Word’ in Your Heart

Do you know your home address? How about your phone number? What about your Social Security number? If you’re a football fan, do you know the star players on your favorite team? Can you recite the Pledge of Allegiance, or sing the words to the Star-Spangled Banner?

I ask those questions because I’ve often heard people say, “Oh, I can’t memorize.” That’s the excuse they use for not trying to memorize passages from the Bible. But the truth is, if something is important enough to us, we can memorize it. A more critical question is, “Does the Word of God mean enough to you to want to try committing some of it to memory?”

More than 30 years ago, I would have counted myself among the “can’t memorize” crowd. The idea of memorizing a verse from the Scriptures seemed daunting. Until I attended a conference at our church and the speaker offered a shortcut.

He asked who in attendance had tried memorizing anything from the Bible, and some hands went up. Then he responded, “Okay, for those of you who didn’t raise your hands, I’m going to show you that you can memorize Scripture.” He proceeded to take us to 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and said, “Here’s your verse: ‘Pray without ceasing.’”

I thought, “That’s it? Three words?” That was it, although the speaker suggested we also commit to memory the “address” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17. That way, if we ever needed to refer to the verse, we could find it in the Bible.

But the speaker wasn’t finished. “Now that you’ve learned that verse – three words – look at the verse preceding it: ‘Rejoice always.’” That was 1 Thessalonians 5:16. So in about a minute’s time, we had two verses in our memory bank, five words in all. Finally, he pointed us to one other verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says, “In everything give thanks.” Much tougher to learn – four words!

That wasn’t so bad. Three consecutive verses, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks.” My adventure in committing passages of Scripture to heart had begun.

But why even bother memorizing Bible verses? The goal isn’t to show how “holy” or religious we are. This isn’t about spiritual one-upmanship, showing off for a fellow believer. It’s about doing as King David wrote in Psalm 119:9,11 – “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word…. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Remember the ‘WWJD” fad of years ago, “What Would Jesus Do?” Not a bad question to ask in principle, but I often wondered, how can we know what Jesus would do if we’ve not read and memorized from the Bible what Jesus did?

Of course, most of the passages in the Bible are more than two, three or four words long. It takes effort and practice to memorize them, but I’ve found doing so much more rewarding than I could have imagined when I started. About that time I joined a small group Bible study that required memorizing a number of verses. We had built-in accountability, since every week we had to recite to one another the verses we had learned over the past week. 

I can’t tell you how many times this practice has come in handy, whether sharing some truths from the Scriptures with a friend, talking with a non-believer about my faith, or trying to get God’s perspective about an important decision I needed to make.

For instance, a longer passage I learned became my “life verse,” one I reflect on often: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Recently a friend who is dealing with an advanced stage of cancer shared this verse, explaining how it comforts her as she faces an uncertain future.

A similar passage, Isaiah 26:3, affirms the confidence we can have as followers of Jesus: “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.” Like a handyman being able to turn and instantly grab the right tool from the toolbox, having verses like this safely stored in our memory bank is a great source of comfort and assurance. 

Even if there’s not a Bible readily available – as is often the case – we can have the Word of God accessible for our use in the proverbial “blink of an eye.” So the next time you come across a verse or passage that seems particularly meaningful to you, why not try memorizing it? You might need it again sometime.

Hiding the Truth Where You Can Find It

How good are you at remembering things? Many people are quick to complain, “I have such a terrible memory.” But in many cases, our memories aren’t nearly as bad as we claim. For instance, do you know your home address? Social Security number? Your phone number, or those of friends, close family members, or where you work? How about lines from movies, or lyrics of favorite songs or hymns?

Virtually all of us succeed at memorizing information that’s important to us. Maybe we can’t recite the Declaration of Independence verbatim or the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, but we usually can manage committing to memory those things dear to our hearts.

Meeting with men I’m mentoring or discipling, I often suggest they try memorizing key verses of Scripture. If they reply, “Oh, I can’t memorize things,” I’m apt to raise a skeptical eyebrow. I sometimes tell them point-blank, “You can if you want to.”

But why bother? What’s the big deal about memorizing some verses from the Bible? We’re not trying to win a contest at church, or show off during a Sunday school class, are we? Not at all. In the Scriptures, however, God makes it clear He desires for us to make His inspired Word integral to our lives. The Bible shouldn’t be some reference book we consult every once in a while.

A profound statement about this is found in Psalm 119:9-11. King David wrote, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word…. Your word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against You.” The NIV translates it, “I have hidden in my heart.”

Both terms convey a strong commitment to embracing God’s truth, appreciating its great value for everyday living. The apostle Paul affirmed this in writing to Timothy, whom he had been discipling: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

This tells us the Lord inspired men to put into writing His truth for everyday application. It’s not to be confined to a worship center’s sanctified halls.

An example is Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, a ministry that has made Scripture memory an important part of its discipling strategies. Trotman traveled all around the world, and often didn’t have a Bible readily available. But, having been diligent to memorize and meditate on the Scriptures, he could always access them from memory whenever needed.

How do we go about “treasuring” or “hiding” the Word of God in our hearts? There’s not just one way, but I’ve learned a few helpful tips over the years.

Years ago, my wife and I were attending a marriage conference when the speaker suggested making a commitment to memorize verses from the Bible. I had learned the 23^rd Psalm from hearing it repeated when I was in grade school. (The supposed total “separation of church and state” hadn’t been discovered yet. How scandalous was that?) But I’d never thought of making a conscious effort to commit to memory passages from the Bible.

The speaker suggested starting with a verse that’s easy to remember, such as 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” Only three words? That would be easy enough. Then he added, “If that seems too difficult, try the verse that precedes it: 1 Thessalonians 5:16, ‘Rejoice always.””

Wow! Suddenly I had two Bible verses committed to my “remembery.” Later I discovered other short verses, most notably John 11:35, which states, “Jesus wept.” Eventually, however, I realized the key for effective Scripture memory was not picking out simple passages, but finding ones that had special meaning or importance. Those are the ones most easily hidden or treasured in our hearts.

Before long I took on a little more ambitious challenge and memorized Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

This passage became my life verse that to this day serves as a foundation for my faith and trust in God, no matter what circumstances I face. Looking over the course of my life, I’ve been able to see that even when I didn’t understand what was happening, I could trust Him – and He truly has directed my paths.

At times, I’ve tried to learn a new verse that seemed too difficult. The solution was not only to try learning the words and their context, but also put the passage into use. One of those was 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

I was trying to learn it unsuccessfully until I decided to share it with a friend as we were riding in his car to a meeting. He wasn’t a follower of Christ, but I asked if he’d mind if I recited the verse since I was trying to learn it, and he didn’t object.

Without realizing it at the time, I was applying the principle from another verse, James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Soon I had “hidden” the verse in my heart – and many times, when confronted by temptation, I’ve brought it to mind for help in making the right decisions. I guess it’s okay to hide the Word of God – as long as you know where to find it.