Minneapolis pastor John Piper has authored dozens of books and articles urging rigorous practice of the spiritual disciplines. On January 5, 1997, he preached from Psalm 119 on treasuring God’s Word and highlighted Scripture memorization as a key to enjoying God. In this selection, he says that believers often fail to commit the Bible to memory not because of mental inability but failure to value it appropriately.
You may doubt that you can do this [memorize Scripture], especially if you are older. But ask yourself this question, If I offered you $1,000 for every verse you memorized in the next week, how many do you think you could memorize? Yet God says of his word in Psalm 19:10-11, “They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” The real value of the word is far greater than $1,000 a verse. The question is, Do you believe this? Believing this will be the crucial motivation you need.1
Footnotes:
1 John Piper, “Thy Word Have I Treasured in My Heart,” Desiring God Website, January 5, 1997, http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1997/983_Thy_Word_I_Have_Treasured_in_My_Heart/ (accessed March 8, 2010).
