Desperate and Deceitful

Most people who commit to memorizing Scripture begin, I imagine, with passages which are familiar to many both inside and out of the church. John 3:16 is a likely starting point. The reference shows up on signs in the end zones of professional football games and on the eye black of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. For God so loved the world, John 3:16 reads, He gave His only begotten son . . . The verse is a succinct explanation of the gospel message, one well worth committing to memory.

                                        

John 11:35 is another easy entry point into the discipline of Scripture memorization. Two simple words: Jesus wept. Hiding a verse in one’s heart doesn’t get much easier than that.

Those two verses were probably among the first I memorized as a child. Another I remember vividly, and in the King James, was this:

The heart is deceitful of above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Jeremiah17:9:

I don't remember who assigned me the task of memorizing that verse from Jeremiah. It may have been the elderly neighbor who hosted an after school Bible club, or it may have been assigned as part of an AWANA club program. I do remember, as a young child, thinking it was a strange verse.

I'm honored to be spending my Valentine's Day sharing this heart story over at Healthy Spirituality, the blogging home of my friend Jean Wise. Won't you click the link above to join me over at her place?