You may be reading this and thinking that you would love to desire God more or that you want to prioritize the Scripture in your life, but you aren’t sure where to start. Maybe you didn’t grow up in a Christian home or perhaps you are not giving place to the Word in your life right now, but my friend, there is no better time to start than today. Below are some practical tips and strategies for how to develop a love for God’s Word and also some ways that you can integrate it into daily life.
Scripture memory and study is so important in our growth as Christians for several reasons. One of the most evident is that, when we have memorized Scripture, God is faithful to bring it to mind when we are in need. In times of struggle, God’s Word brings comfort and wisdom. In times of uncertainty, it brings peace. And in times of sin, the Word convicts our hearts and points us back to God’s way. When we daily read, study and memorize the Word, we are implanting it deep into our hearts and minds, where it can take root and grow to produce fruit in our lives. So many times, throughout my life, the Lord has used Scripture that I have studied or memorized to guide my steps, comfort my soul, or convict me of my sin. God is faithful to work His transformation in our hearts, but He also commands us to be faithful in pouring His words into our minds and hearts.
If you are a parent, I want to encourage you to get your family in the Word! Not only does God command it (Deuteronomy 6), but it will absolutely change your life and revolutionize your family. I’m so grateful for my dad leading family devotions each night, as well as encouraging personal devotions for each of his children.
A fun way to memorize Scripture, especially with younger children, is through Scripture songs. Putting anything to a tune, no matter how funny it sounds, just helps to make it stick! We have written dozens of our own tunes to put to different Scripture verses, as well being blessed by other people’s songs. A simple idea is to pick a familiar tune (perhaps a hymn that you all know) and put the words of a verse or passage of Scripture to that tune. You may have to make some adjustments, but it’s a lot of fun and will help you memorize the passage! Even very young children love singing, and what better way to get Scripture into their hearts and minds? Make Scripture part of your family culture. Be a family who has devotions together, that worships together, that memorizes the Word of God together.
A few ways that we like to do this in our home is by painting verses of Scripture on our walls and framing verses to hang up as well. There are so many creative ways to have Scripture saturate your life and home. I am sharing just a few things we have done in our home, but there is so much more! Talk with your family about how you can learn to love God and His Word more.
In Proverbs we are told that wisdom is the greatest treasure, even more precious than gold and rubies and James tells us that God will freely give wisdom to those who ask. The primary way that God speaks to us is through His Word. The definition of justice comes from the Lord, He alone is the personification of mercy and through Him, we learn true humility. Virtue and character cannot be gained or developed apart from the Word of God. As families and as individuals, we should hunger and thirst after the Word with all that is in us.
How can we cultivate this deep longing for the Word within us? First of all, we must recognize that we cannot truly love God’s Word on our own. James 1:17 tells us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father.” Certainly, a holy desire for more and more of Christ is a good and perfect gift! We must recognize our inability to cultivate this desire within ourselves, and ask the Lord to give us a love for His Word. You may be reading the Bible every day, and still not have a great love for it. Only the Lord can give you this kind of love. Ask the Lord to give you a greater love for His Word. The Lord delights to hear the prayers of His children and He will be faithful to answer.
Another vital part of learning to love God’s Word is simply to be in it, with consistency, humility and faithfulness. I cannot stress enough the importance of making time for daily devotions. As a family and individually, these are so key to developing a great love for God’s Word, as well as growing your relationship with the Lord. Discipline is important in this area, as busy schedules and family dynamics may complicate daily quiet time with the Lord. But as we learn more about God, we realize there is truly nothing more important than learning about Him and how He wants us to live. In light of this, I encourage you to fight hard for your time in the Word. Make it a daily habit and discipline yourself to do it even when you don’t feel like it. The Lord is pleased with the obedience of His children and will bless your faithfulness with a greater love for His Word and ways.
No matter what we choose to do, what activities we participate in, how many verses we memorize, or what songs we sing, it all comes down to what our mindset is about God’s Word. As Christians, we owe a tremendous debt, a debt we could never pay to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. By His very blood, He has purchased our souls. With this in mind, why not? Why wouldn’t we, above all else, seek His will, learn His ways and desire His holy truth? My friends, it is the most precious and sweet cycle; when we seek to know Christ, we learn to love Him, and as we love Him more, we seek to know Him more. We are blessed with the incredible privilege to have the Words of Almighty God given to us. I want to encourage you to evaluate your priorities and what takes preeminence in you. You will spend your time on what you value most. So dear friend, value the Word of God. Memorize it. Study it. Read it. Sing it. Write it on your walls. When we are in the Word, learning it, hiding it deep within our hearts at all times, we cannot help but be transformed.
Written by NBB participant: Celia Craig
