Why Scripture Memory Might Be the Most Important Spiritual Discipline

Dallas Willard was asked the question,

"What do you consider the most important spiritual discipline?"

John Ortberg overheard this question at a conference and was waiting eagerly for his reply. Would it be contemplative prayer, fasting, extended periods of silence, or something else?

Answer: Bible memorization. Willard says in Renovation of the Heart, 

"The most obvious thing we can do is to draw certain portions of Scripture into our minds and make them a part of the permanent fixtures of our thought." The apostle Paul locates transformation into Christlikeness in the renewal of our minds" (Romans 12:2).

I confess I am a "johnny-come-lately" when it comes to memorizing longer portions of Scripture. I started to apply myself to this task a few years ago. I can confirm from personal experience what Willard affirms.

When we occupy our minds with the truths of Scripture we are, of course, driving out other things that can occupy our minds.

Do I even need to mention the detours our minds can take when we simply respond to the stimuli of this world? What I have discovered is that reality from God's perspective then shapes my reality.

For example, Paul begins by stating that

“we have been blessed in Christ with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places…” (Eph. 1:3).

I used to think,

“Well, Paul, that is pretty general.”

By memorizing Ephesians 1:3-10, it finally dawned on me that Paul went on to enumerate specifically what those spiritual blessings are. For example, when I came to these words in Ephesians 1:5, I stopped to process what he said.

"In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ."

I realized Paul was simply spelling out one of the spiritual blessings. I do not think I would have seen what Paul was doing if I had not spent the contemplating, repeating, returning to this phrase.

I was driving the truth of my adoption deep in my heart.

O Glory, this is who I am in Jesus! I am the adopted child of God!

At the Center is the Lord's Prayer

Scripture memory is at the center of my time of prayer. Prayer needs content, substance. If we start with an empty mind in prayer, we can easily let our minds wander and be filled with extraneous thoughts.

But if you have been meditating on and memorizing Scripture, it is very easy to have the Scripture frame your prayer life. The Lord’s Prayer is the perfect model for this. Jesus give us a pithy summary of what can be included in prayer.

When you take each phrase of the Lord’s Prayer as the jumping off point, you are on your way to a rich prayer life.

In my journal I will simply write,

“Our Father…”

Then I jot down the characteristics of a perfect Father, which is, of course, what I have--strong, wise, patient, faithful, attentive. Why does Jesus use the plural “Our” as a preface to "Father"? I am reminded that I am not alone but joined to all who call our God “Father,” and so forth as you proceed through the prayer.

I then have this truth at my fingertips to return to whenever I need a reminder.