It seems that the Summer Study has flown by and we are about to begin the National Bible Bee Competition (NBBC). You have memorized your passages, learned original language and cross references, and become well-acquainted with the study passage over the eight weeks of the Summer Study. By now you have taken the NBBC Qualifying Test, and maybe you are riding a wave of excitement…or have plunged into discouragement. And if you did not qualify you may be feeling a little bit lost. It can be difficult to navigate the aftermath of the Summer Study, especially if you do not qualify to compete in the fall. And that may leave you with some important questions. Where do you go from here? How will the National Bible Bee impact your life now that there is no competition or prize to look forward to? Hopefully, this blog post will be able to provide some answers.
Look Back at Your Journey
First of all, it’s important to remember the journey you took through the Summer Study. Maybe this was your first time taking part in the National Bible Bee. How has your perspective changed through the study? Maybe you didn’t think you could memorize so many verses, but look at where you are now! You have worked through two passages each week and memorized more than you thought possible. You may not have studied original language before participating in the National Bible Bee. Now you have learned how to navigate Blue Letter Bible and find not only the translation but also the deeper meanings of key words. Cross references may have seemed like a daunting task, but through the Summer Study you have had to search for passages that connect to the main study passage. You have gotten to learn how to study Scripture, and those lessons are ones you can continue to use as you study Scripture!
Or, on the other hand, maybe you have already journeyed through the Summer Study many times. Memorizing, finding original language, and studying cross references is probably not new territory for you. But maybe you have been able to study a passage of Scripture that was not as familiar. Or perhaps you knew the story but had not delved deeper into the lessons it teaches. You may have learned new passages or broadened your Hebrew or Greek vocabulary. You walked through a summer delving deeper into God’s Word, and that is one of the most rewarding journeys you can take.
Look at the Road Ahead
While the Summer Study has ended, your adventure in God’s Word is far from over. Even if you are not moving on in the competition you can take the tools and practices you have learned throughout the summer and apply them in a multitude of ways.
Do you already have a habit of memorizing God’s Word? If not, maybe this is an opportunity to give it a bigger place in your life. You could continue memorizing the passages the National Bible Bee has released for the competition. Maybe there is a topic of Scripture you would like to dwell on in the next few months, such as the love or faithfulness of God. Choose some of those verses and meditate on them as your devotions. Or maybe you want to tackle a book of the Bible. Start smaller, perhaps with an epistle, and walk through each chapter at your own pace.
Sometimes memorizing Scripture can seem like a race or something that has to be done quickly. But there is so much we miss when we rush! Before you begin working on a verse of passage take a moment to pray for the Holy Spirit’s help. Ask Him to illuminate your mind and show you more about the Lord as you spend time in the Word. Then walk through your memorization, not rushing but meditating on each sentence.
Memorization is not the only way to continue applying what you have learned in the National Bible Bee. As you choose verses, passages, or even a book to memorize you can also decide to dig deeper into it as well. What are the main themes of the passages or book? Once you identify the theme, look for words that repeatedly show up in different chapters. Search for the original translation and the definitions. Does a phrase in one of the passages sound familiar? Maybe it’s in a different book or passage of Scripture. Find out where it is, and maybe start a list of cross references for the passages you are memorizing. There are also many wonderful commentaries that can grow your understanding as you memorize. Find one or two that are faithful in interpreting God’s Word rightly and consult them when you reach difficult or confusing sections. Always be mindful that commentaries are the words of men and use them prayerfully as you work through the passages.
Remember the True Reward
National Bible Bee seasons end. The excitement of participating with friends fades. Any joy we have in our competition results eventually dims and dissolves. But the basis of the National Bible Bee, and the entirety of our lives, will never fade or disappear.
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.” – Isaiah 40:8
Qualifying for the National Bible Bee is not the ultimate achievement you will reach. It does not determine your worth, either in God’s eyes or in the eyes of other participants. I know from experience that your test score will one day seem a distant memory, a little blip on the radar. But your time as a student of God’s Word does not have to be one little moment. It can continue throughout your entire life as you dig into Scripture and hide it in your heart. The passages you have memorized in the National Bible Bee will be a blessing to you many years down the road if you keep them in your mind and heart.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” – Isaiah 55:10-11
May you make the Word of God your highest joy!
Written by NBB Alumna: Rachael English
