The Value of Teaching Children to Memorize the Word of God

When you were growing up, how many things did you memorize? The alphabet, your times tables, nursery rhymes, and much more, right? Most of those things you memorized on purpose, but how many other things did you memorize without even meaning to do so? You’ve probably got plenty of information from your childhood stuck in your head, from commercial jingles to popular songs to movie lines. But what about scripture? Did anyone teach you to memorize the word of God? If you learned Bible verses when you were growing up, you can probably still recite them. If you didn’t learn scripture as a child, you may not understand why it’s important to pass Bible verses on to your children. Here, we offer some truths about the value of teaching children to memorize the word of God.

• Scripture helps people make sense of the world. Let’s face it, our world is messy and uncertain, and sometimes it’s hard to find your way. Psalm 119 verse 105 says “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” We can rely on God’s word to help us throughout our lives, and memorizing scripture is a good way to embed important truths. Doing this early in life is extremely beneficial, and it’s something a child will have forever.
• Having scripture in their heads helps children make good choices. Psalm 119, verse 11, says “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Having words from the Bible in their minds and hearts helps kids do the right thing when they’re faced with an iffy situation.
• Memory verses prepare kids for the future. Who knows what the future holds for our children? What we can know for certain is that by following the teachings of Jesus, they’ll be ready to go out and do good things. In Matthew 22: 37-40, Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Whatever our kids encounter in their lives, if they have those two commandments embedded in their worldview, they will have a firm footing from which to handle it.
• Learning scripture immerses children in God’s love. John 3 verse 16 says, “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.” This is just one example of the love of God that overflows throughout the Bible. The message of the Gospel is clear: God loves us and we should share that love by loving others. What better foundation is there for a well-lived life than the knowledge that you are loved by the creator of the universe, and that the Almighty wants you to love other people? To teach children these principles at an early age is to give them a gift of love and security and empower them to go out into the world and change it for the better.

At CEF Norcal, we’re determined to share the Gospel in any and every space we can. Our missionaries are constantly on the lookout for new ways to reach children, whether by sharing the Gospel with families at local fairs, partnering with churches to do drive-through Gospel presentations, or hosting one-time party clubs in public schools. With your help, we believe that this year we’ll reach even more children for Christ. To learn more about the work we’re doing and how you can help increase the witness of our ministry, visit our website. Or consider volunteering with us or applying to be a hands-on missionary, a teacher, someone who helps support a local club, or a committee or board member.