Welcome to my journey of making Scripture memory an active part of my life. If you’d like the backstory of how I got inspired, read this. To see how I made my DIY spaced repetition Leitner Box, click here.
But where should I start?
In the past, sometimes what held me back is not knowing where to begin. How do I choose one passage of the Bible over another to start memorizing?
When I was searching for advice from people who are actively memorizing Scripture, the book 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart by Robert J. Morgan came up multiple times. I guessed that I probably knew some of the verses already, thanks to my years of memorizing at summer camp, VBS, etc.
When I checked out the book, I was excited to start. As I suspected, some on the list are very familiar, so that would give me a soft start. I wouldn’t have to memorize a ton of “new” verses right away. Yet the 100 verse list contains many passages that I recognize, but definitely can’t quote.
So, to take a cue from Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, “Let’s start at the very beginning.”
That’s where the list starts, too:
- Genesis 1:1
- John 1:1
- John 1:14
- John 3:16
All of these verses I already knew, except I was a bit fuzzy on John 1:14. I’m going to show you the text of each verse and one reason why I’m glad to memorize it.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
I love that this very first verse of the Bible sets the tone for the book, and my life. The fact that God created the world means that it’s His. He made it, He owns it. That might seem troubling (not to mention preposterous) to some people, but to me, that is comforting. God is in control, and He knows what to do best with His creation. (That includes ME!) It’s not riding on my shoulders, but His.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
This verse obviously parallels Genesis 1:1: in the beginning. But this verse in itself is so rich. It introduces the Word, the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God. Theologians can study for years and not tap into all of what this means. But to me, I’m glad to mull over the thought that there has never been a time where He has not existed.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
This is the one I’m fuzzy on. Probably because the versions trip me up: “saw” vs. “beheld” … “Son” vs. “begotten”. But when I roll this verse around slowly in my head, I am filled with awe. The Word who existed forever chose to enter time, to put on skin and bones, and to dwell among humanity. It’s amazing to me that He would choose to show His glory, to be sent from the Father, to come to such a broken world. And that last line: full of grace and truth. He didn’t pull any punches, He knew exactly what sin is. But He knew how to deal with sin and sinners. He came full of grace and truth.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
This one is a heavy hitter. Jesus explains here that not only did the God of the Universe come down to dwell with humanity… He came to die. He would give Himself up, so that through His death, life can come to anyone who believes. This is the Father’s love. This is the Son’s obedience. This is life for those who are dead. This is what He did for me.
I’m not sure who the original quote is attributed to, but I’ve heard it spoken recently and it has stuck with me:
“You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.”
The love of God is so immense. He showed it so clearly when He gave His only Son for me.
Here’s my earnest question to anyone who has read thus far:
Do you know this God?
Do you know His love for you?
Have you believed that you deserve to die for sin, but He died for you?
I would be ecstatic if you have questions and would reach out to ask me about this. It’s truly the most important decision you will ever make.
So this is the first installment of my memory verses. Check out this video to see how they fit into the review system. (It’s my first video, so I ask for much grace!)
Thanks for following along! Would love feedback in the comments or on social media @laurakeywords on Facebook or Instagram.
