In Jesus’ day, no family had the luxury of having the Bible in their home. The only way to access God’s word was to memorize it. Verses of Scripture were customarily memorized and repeated throughout the day. The foremost Scripture to be memorized was Deuteronomy 6:4 and following, known as the Shema, because this is the first word of the passage in Hebrew. It was taught to children as soon as they learned to speak. Deuteronomy 6:7 explains the process, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” A German psychologist known as Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850-1909) researched memory and forgetting and recorded for science the obvious conclusion – repetition enhances retention. His work is still commonly cited in the field of learning today. In 2026, a time of instant access on digital devices, many question the need to memorize Scripture. To this question I reply, where do you want God’s word, on your screen or in your heart?
“But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.”
Psalm 1: