Line by line…
My daughter’s 3rd grade teacher sent me a text one day as they were outside at recess.
“Did you know that Presley can recite Psalm 91….like, the whole entire passage? She just recited it for me right here on the playground!”
Of course, I was elated that my daughter remembered those words…the words I had prayed over her night after night.
However, I had not taught her those words because I was a super godly Christian momma. No.
I taught her those words because I was a desperate, anxious, fearful, and falling apart mother.
My hands use to shake when I would drop my kids off at school. I would cry the whole way home.
Worried, always worried.
The world was a scary place and it felt like it was closing in on me day after day.
So, the kids and I began memorizing scripture on the way to school. Back then we had a 25 minute drive to school. Plenty of time for talking, praying and memorizing.
We began by putting scriptures into little songs. We would sing them over and over.
The kids would always catch on way quicker than their thirty-something aged momma! I was amazed at how their little brains absorbed so quickly.
Little did I know that years later, those scriptures would be etched and seared on our hearts. Used and used, time after time, as breath prayers to God.
When I wake up in the middle of the night, heart racing, worry consuming, I go back to those passages from long ago.
When I do not have words to pray, I pray God’s Word.
When friends that we love dearly faced an unimaginable tragedy recently, the only thing I knew to do was to pray Psalm 23 over them. Line by line. Over and over and over.
Scripture has been a literal life support for me….and my children.
God’s Word has healed this mother with a racing heart and shaking hands.
God’s Word has covered us in Peace when our mouths did not know proper words to utter.
God’s Word has saturated us with calm and with comfort when the world turned upside down on us.
I am so thankful for those long car rides to school with my kids.
I am also thankful for those hard times, because without them, I never would have memorized God’s Word.
If life would have been easy and restful, there would have been no need for the search for Peace.
Peace was found in His Word.
Joy was found in His Word.
Comfort was found in His Word.
The greatest thing we can do for each other is to pray God’s Word over each other.
It is “living and breathing and active and sharper than a double edge sword.” Hebrews 4:12
I still have a long way to go on this scripture memorizing journey.
The sweet thing is, it is never too late or too early to start memorizing God’s Word.
No matter how old or how young we are, it is always a good time to start.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever" Isaiah 40:8
one verse at a time,
jill
