Scripture: Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Devotion: There is a purifying quality to the Word of God. When we deeply know what God has to say, His Word can help keep us from straying into sin. Outward obedience often occurs because we have the Scriptures treasured deep within our hearts.
The Hebrew word for “hidden” as it appears in this verse means “to treasure, to regard as highly valued, to hide, keep, save up, store.” It does not mean hidden as in you cannot find it. It means that you are saving up the Word of God. You are treasuring it; you regard it as highly valued.
The very Word of God is the agent that He uses to cleanse the hearts of all those who believe in Him. It helps us to see where we have fallen short, how we are created to live, and how to honor Him with our lives. It is one of the best ways that we can face temptation head on.
You might be thinking about how difficult it is for you to find time to sit and read God’s Word, much less memorize enough of it to be helpful throughout life. But what I want to encourage you with is how many different ways there are to really engrain Scripture in your heart and mind. Deuteronomy 11:18-20 shares about several of these when it says, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates...”
- Read- read the Bible consistently to see what the Word of God says for yourself
- Listen- listen to the Gospel being preached. God has gifted and called people to share His Word. We can also listen to the Bible read aloud.
- Write- writing down our thoughts as we read or writing out the verses that we read can help us better remember them
- Talk- talk with your family, spouse, small group, or friends about what you are learning
- Study- seek to have a greater understanding of the Bible by studying it more in-depth. Get a study Bible or commentary to gain a deeper understanding of each passage.
- Meditate- continually think about God’s Word. It will transform how you behave and think.
As we seek to flee from and resist temptation, we can find a weapon against it through the Bible. Whatever it is that you are going through or are tempted by, the Bible has encouragement for you. You can write those verses on your heart so that they are called to mind in even the darkest of moments as a reminder of God’s guidance and love.
Reflect:
- What is one Bible verse that you would find helpful to have memorized? It might be helpful with whatever you are tempted by or whatever season of life you are walking through.
- Try the above methods to help you really engrain that verse in your heart so that you can call it to mind later. Work on it throughout the week.
