One of the things I have resolved to do this year is to quit making excuses about not being able to memorize scripture (or anything for that matter). I have committed to Beth Moore's "Siesta" Scripture Memory Team for 2011. The commitment is to learn two scripture verses (or passages) per month for the next twelve months. At the end of the twelve months, I will have the opportunity to attend a conference with apparently several thousand other women who have hidden God's Word in their hearts all year. And yes, I am making plans for a year in advance. I am excited about the road trip to Houston and meeting all my spiritual siestas, but I am more excited about all the scriptures I will be learning over the next twelve months. This kind of commitment is something I have never been able to keep, and I am determined that with help from my Father and encouragement from my hero and my daughters, I will be able to do this.
My choices so far (only three to date) have been very meaningful to me where I am in my spiritual walk. I have to confess that I considered using some simple ones that I've pretty much known all my life...you know John 3:16, Psalm 23, Ephesians 4:32, oh, and, of course, Genesis 1:1, but I decided I'm going to embark on a whole new set, and not settling for just one verse. I'm going to try to get the gist of the passage. We'll see. I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength. (No, that's not one of them either. :)
My passage for January 1, fitting I thought for the beginning of a new year and a new commitment, is Jeremiah 29:11-13: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. (NKJV)
Wow, that's pretty profound, don't you think? He wants to give us a future and a hope. He will listen to us if we pray to Him. He can be found, but we have to seek Him and search for Him with all our hearts.
January 15's passage is from Psalm 103:1-5. Another confession, I had attempted to learn this one several years ago, but whined that I couldn't memorize anything, and gave it up. (Remember, now that was BCB -- before chemo brain.) I am not only doing battle with my whiny nature but also with chemo brain. All things...through Christ...who gives me strenth...ˆ
Anyway, back to Psalm 103:1-5. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. (NKJV)
Need I say more about that one? I think not. It's breathtaking when you really meditate on it and take it all in. Oh, how He loves you and me.
February 1's passage was inspired by my pastor's sermon this morning about how, while God saves us from our sins, it is still our responsibility to put off the old self and put on the new self. He leaves that part up to us. Well, without further adieu (for I cannot do Pastor T's sermon justice) here is the scripture passage: "...put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness." -- Ephesians 4:22-24
Did you catch that...put off/put on thing? I wonder who besides me never really gave much thought to the fact that the reason we (or at least I do and it looks to me like others do to) struggle with our old nature is that maybe we think God is just going to take that away from us and we don't really have to do anything. Well, what I see is a picture of a continual putting off and putting on that happens on a day to day (and sometimes minute by minute) basis, just the same as taking our morning shower and putting on clean clothes. In our daily time spent with the Father, we have to will to take off the old and put on the new so that we can be the new creations that He made us to be. No wonder I've struggled so with the old versus the new. Hmmmmm.
Anyway, if any of you "Siestas" out there are participating in the Scripture Memory Team, I'd love to hear from you and hear what scriptures you're working on.
More later...
P.S. I'm hoping my daughters will jump in there and do the scripture memory with me. Their cute little memory card spirals are on the way. :)
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| Here's a picture of my scripture memory spiral. It will also be my ticket to the conference in Houston in January 2012. Pretty cool, huh? Don't you want to do this? |
