I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11
The very first verse I learned after becoming a Christ-follower was this verse. It’s incredible that I still remember learning it. But it seems what you learn early in life sticks with you. At first, it was purely academic. I learned several verses that were to help me as I grew in Christ. However, as time passed, those verses found their way to the great file cabinet in my mind somewhere.
Has that ever happened to you? Have you read something in the Bible or seen a part of Scripture that meant something to you, and then it faded away into some corner of your mind while other things took precedence? Don’t feel bad. It happens to us all.
I wanted to share this verse today because it has been so encouraging to me over the years when I would pull it out of the file cabinet!
Scripture is Highly Valued
How do you view Scripture? Some people look at Scripture as a book of stories that help you through life. Those stories are good, bad, confusing, and sometimes boring. That’s how some people look at it. But I want to encourage you to look at Scripture differently. Scripture is the very word of God to us. We desperately need it every day to help us make sense of the world where we currently live.
When we value the author of Scripture (God) and place a high value no what He says to us through it, it becomes valuable. I remember listening to Adrian Rogers preach one time and hung on every word he said. Why? Because I highly valued the man who was speaking. I took notes, wrote in the side margins of my Bible, and even bought the recording so I could listen to it again. Why? Because I considered it to be highly valued.
We will always look at Scripture as valuable when we value the author.
Scripture is Meant for Storing
We store things because they are valuable to us. I have lots of tools that I keep. I don’t use them all the time, but I have them when I need them. That is precisely the way Scripture should work in our lives. We store it because we’ll need it. Many of you have a collection of cards that you read from time to time. I have a folder that I keep cards in from people who have encouraged me over the years. Sometimes when I’m feeling a little down, I will pick that folder up and read those cards. They are encouraging and usually help lift my spirits.
Scripture does the same thing. We store it because we will need it. How do we store it? Yep, you got it. We memorize it. I know many of you are thinking, “I’m too old to memorize Scripture.” I used to say that until I realized that I was just too lazy. No. I really came to that realization. I can remember all kinds of things if I look at them over and over. I learn songs, sayings, and stories. But when it comes to Scripture, I think many of us have a mental block.
I want to encourage you to begin storing up Scripture in your heart by memorizing special verses to you. Put them on your bathroom window and repeat them every morning. Eventually, it will find it’s way into your heart.
Scripture is Powerful Protection
Why do we put Scripture in our hearts? It’s God’s way to protect us from the damaging effects of sin. Sin always damages us. Regardless of how small or large the sin is, it is always damaging. That is why Scripture is so powerful. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that Scripture is living and active. It just doesn’t sit in the recesses of our minds. It is living and active. It does things. In Psalm 119:11, these words remind us that it keeps us from sin. It is powerful protection from sin. It also reminds us that sin is also powerful, and there is a battle between Scripture and sin. You see, Scripture defines sin, and sin defines us.
Think about that statement. The sin we commit defines us to the world. They see us and continuously evaluate our lives. We should strive to live lives that would present us blameless before others. I’m not saying we will remain perfect if we store God’s word in our hearts. I’m saying we are less likely to sin if God’s word is significantly playing a role in our daily lives.
How about you? How are you doing with memorizing Scripture? Make it one of your priorities from today moving forward. Don’t merely read Scripture. Memorize it and store it so that it will become powerful protection for you.