Memorising Scripture

To Love, Honor and Vacuum has recently posted on the question, "What Do You Hide in Your Heart?" She has some inspiring stories of the side-benefits of memorising Scripture.

In my last lesson on Church History, I learnt that the Swiss reformer Heinrich Bullinger (who took over in Zurich when Ulrich Zwingli was killed) memorised the entire New Testament - in the original Greek! How's that for an inspiration?

I keep thinking I will post our memory verses from our Circle Time study of the gospels, but I haven't gotten around to it. So here's the list, with the references and a few words so you can guess what it's about if you don't want to look them all up. (We began with the birth of Jesus at Christmas last year and reached the stories of His crucifixion at Easter). I have tried to pick verses which clearly illustrate the Human/Divine nature of Jesus, as well as the more well known parts of His ministry.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born...

Luke 2:11 Today, in the town of David...

Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were being baptised...

Mark 1:17-18 "Come, follow me," Jesus said...

John 3:16 For God so loved the world...

Matt 5:3-10 Blessed are the poor in spirit...

The Lord's Prayer

Matt 7:24-25 Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine...

Luke 5:24-25 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...

Mark 4:39-41 He got up, rebuked the wind...

Luke 9:16-17a Taking the five loaves and the two fish...

Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing...

Luke 18:15-17 People were also bringing babies to Jesus...

Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray...

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death...

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 For what I received I passed on to you...

At the moment we are reading through the Acts of the Apostles. So far, we have memorised the following passages (reference and a snippet to help you recognise them):

Acts 2:32 "God has raised this Jesus to life..."

Acts 3:36-39 "... God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." ...

Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else..."

Acts 5:29 ... "We must obey God rather than men!"

Acts 8:30-31,35 ... "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked..."

Acts 9:3-5 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light...

Remember, none of my kids can read yet, so they have learnt them purely from repeated recitation. Joshua has all these verses down pat. Anna has memorised almost all of them and can recite them with only the first few words as a starter. Abigail can recite many of them, although not completely nor perfectly. Sam... well, he's learning to say "Our Father" ("Ow Abbwa") and is pretty proficient with "Amen", when we say the Lord's Prayer together. He's only 18 months old, after all!