Today is the day I finished a sweet, uplifting journey. Today I closed the book, “Memorizing Scripture” by Glenna Marshall, having just read the last page. It’s difficult for me to write down what is my favorite part of this impactful book, simply because the depth and warmth of the author’s writing is just as meaningful on every page.
“Memorizing Scripture” reads like a devotional, and yet it is a guide for Scripture memory. The author shares tips for how to memorize Scripture, but after sharing her main tips, she takes most of the book to walk the reader through the reasons why we should memorize Scripture. Instead of sharing a quick list of reasons, she takes time to fully appreciate all that God desires us to have in our hearts and minds in our approach to Scripture memory with each reason she shares. After all, as Marshall says, “The why matters more than the how (page 42).”
Her care to dwell in “the why” is evident in each chapter. For example, chapter four is titled, “To Love Your God.” In it, the author teaches that we should memorize Scripture in order to love our God more. Rather than share a single paragraph to explain this, she writes a whole, beautiful chapter to help us fully understand what it means to love God, where that love comes from, how we lack so much in it, and how Scripture memory can help. “We are to love God with every part of ourselves,” she says on page 63. “If our hearts are lagging in felt affection, a renewed focus on knowing God will help us remember why He is the worthiest object of our love. To love God with all your heart, you must also love Him with your mind. Knowledge of God can grow your love for Him, and Scripture memorization is a beneficial tool for bridging the gap between knowledge and affection (page 63).”
As you can see, mere sentences of this book will affect you deeply. I believe I will be quoting Glenna Marshall quite a bit in my own Scripture memory and recitation ministry, and plan on re-reading her book several more times (at least) in the coming years. I will need more time to let all the wisdom she shares sink in!
The only part of the book I would want to write a response to here is the few times the author mentions that “the goal of memorization is not recitation.” An exact statement like that might seem at odds with what I am most passionate about: recitation of Scripture as a ministry. But the author goes on to explain that we should not be memorizing so that we can show off our ability to our friends, rattling off Scriptures to show how holy we are or how much work we’ve done. I absolutely agree!
In a recent article on her blog, Glenna Marshall walks through this concern about recitation even more thoroughly. I agree with her concerns, but recitation can absolutely be one of your goals in memorizing Scripture, as long as your heart is in the right place when you are reciting. That is something I talk about all over the place in this blog, in my in-person workshops, and in my own book, “Speaking Scripture.” Reciting Scripture is a subset of the ministry of the public reading of Scripture, it is a way to share God’s Word with His people. When recitation of Scripture is done with a servant’s heart, it can be a wonderfully powerful ministry. I know that recitation as a specialized branch of the public reading of Scripture isn’t what the author of “Memorizing Scripture” had in mind when she made these statements about recitation, so I have no problem loving and sharing this book with others.
I would recommend this book to mature Christians who are just starting their memorizing journey or to Christians who have been memorizing for a long time. The depth of the pages would be intimidating to a new believer. This book will help someone lay a firm foundation for his or her new Scripture memory journey. There is also so much wisdom in it that is exactly what many long-time memorizers need to hear. It’s so easy to get caught up in memorizing for the discipline’s sake, and miss the meditation and internalization of Scripture that brings such joy. “Memorizing Scripture” helps us move past that.
This book would also be wonderful gift to any believer, memorizer or not, experiencing spiritually dry seasons. If you are struggling with burn out, get a copy!
What really blessed me in this book is how much of Glenna Marshall’s heart is shared in its pages. The author comes to the reader as a friend. She does not preach a spiritual discipline in judgment. She shares her heart, shares her journey with pain and the hope that God gives. She is open and vulnerable and ready to walk alongside you through the words of this book to bring meaningful encouragement for your Scripture memory journey.
If you enjoyed this book review, you might also enjoy reading reviews for the book by Simon Camilleri, “Public Bible Reading;” Jeremy Kluth from Scripture Alive, “Power to Remember;” Dakota Lynch from Scripture Memory Fellowship, “Remember the Words;” and my own book, “Speaking Scripture: How to Memorize and Recite with Purpose and Delight.”