AUTHOR: Andrew M. Davis
PUBLISHER: Greenville, SC: Ambassador International, 2014, (31 pages).
It is a tall order, a tough project, almost impossible perhaps. Yet, for those who are willing, the opportunities and techniques are there. All it takes is commitment, a strategy, and a discipline to follow through on a system of memorization. Underpinning this desire to memorize the Bible is the conviction that the Bible is worth committing to memory. Dr Andrew M. Davis aims not just to help us memorize verses, but chunks of verses. As author and pastor, Dr Davis has memorized at least 35 Bible books in his lifetime. He believes:
- God has commanded it;
- Memorizing books is better than mere verses
- Commitment is necessary
- Repetition and review are keys to keeping the Bible in our minds and our hearts.
With a system that is proven to work, Dr Davis shows us a simple way to memorize which includes beginning with shorter books; survey each book for the total number of verses; remember verse numbers; choosing one that stirs our passions; make a schedule; commit it to the Lord. The rest is plain and simple: Put it into practice over and over again. Besides teaching us to memorize new verses and books, Davis also shows us the techniques to review and the keep our old verses fresh in our minds. Learning to recite it out loud also helps Use visual aids if necessary, such as taking a visual photograph of the passages in our minds. Gradually, we learn to move from shorter to longer books of the Bible.
Bible memorization is an essential discipline of any believer in Christ. In fact, it should not simply be labeled a 'have-to' item in our Christian life, but a 'want-to' desire as Christians. Anyone claiming to be a Bible-believing Christian will not have problems appreciating the benefits of memorizing Scripture. The difference is in the priorities we put to it. In a Twitter generation where people's patience is only as long as a maximum of 140 characters, memorizing the Bible helps us grow deep, to plant the seed of the Word in our hearts. Regular review waters and helps our hearts be nourished by what we have remembered. Sow deep. If necessary, go slow. The methodology suggested in this book is not rocket science, but the commitment to follow through is the real deal. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Let me close with the words of the famous missionary to China, James Hudson Taylor who once said: "There are three stages in the work of God: impossible, difficult, done." I would put memorization of the Bible under this same work of God.
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
conrade
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