This year, I’m taking part in Beth Moore’s Siesta Sister Scripture Memory Team (how’s that for a mouthful?). Basically, the premise is memorizing 24 Bible verses in a year’s time. On the 1st and 15th of the month, a post on her blog goes live where she gives us the verse she’ll be studying for the next 15 days and then participants leave comments with their own Bible verses. Currently, there are 11,000 women participating! Isn’t that amazing? I think it’s incredible and I’m so excited to spend this year diving more deeply into memorizing Bible verses and making my faith a more active part of my life.
For my first verse of the year, I chose one that I’ve been turning over and over in my head for months.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not until the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14 (KJV)
I’m really attracted to the meaning of grace. The bare bones of the definition is getting what we don’t deserve. It’s the entire basis of faith, at least for me. This free, uninhibited love that God pours out to us. We are undeserving of it, yet no matter how many times we mess up, how many times we fail, how many times we fall – God’s still standing right there, open arms. I want to get this word tattooed on my skin – and I’m dead serious when I say that. The word grace means so much to me, because of how very often I need it.
And no, I’m not trying to be Ms. Super Christian with a King James translation of the verse, but I pulled up this translation and the word dominion stuck out to me. Dominion. Rule. Authority. Control. Influence. Power. SIN has no POWER over me. No authority. No control. No dominion at all.
It gives me goosebumps.
For my second verse, which I’ll be memorizing for the next 15 days, I chose this one:
“So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (HCSB)
One of the tenants of this challenge is to choose verses that hold a lot of meaning to you. Something that deals with what you are going through right now. It makes the memorization more meaningful. I had to hurry and find this verse, as I completely forgot about it until I saw Beth Moore’s post yesterday morning. But it still holds a lot of weight and meaning to me. I know I can tend to get caught up in the day-to-day, in the struggles, the triumphs and the pitfalls. I can get so bogged down in it. This verse is about keeping our eyes focused on the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
I know I can get so worried about the little things, worried I’m not living up to my potential or people don’t like me or I need to do more, see more, be more but when it all comes down to it: I’m doing the best I can. I am enough. All of this is temporary. My focus needs to go back to the One who is forever.
This sounds like a great thing to do as 2 verses seems so doable! And it’s good to have some verses to reflect on. I definitely have been reflecting on that Plans for your verse from Jeremiah…
Yes, yes, yes. Keep reminding yourself of Jeremiah 29:11. It’s such an appropriate verse. It’s one of those great comfort verses. I also love John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Take heart, my friend. He will see you through this. Thinking and praying for you daily! <3
I love this challenge. I think I’m going to join you. Memorizing scripture is so useful, and I’m sad I got out of the habit of it.
Oh, I hope you do! I really love memorizing Scripture and I’ve fallen out of the habit as well. It’s such a comfort!
The last one is very appropriate, I would think, for a lot of people! It’s a great reminder that we are all here for only a bit, but that there is a foreverness beyond what is here. Thanks for sharing!
I think it is definitely appropriate for anyone, no matter what you believe in. It’s just a good reminder to not get so stressed out about the here and now and to recognize what lies beyond all this.
I love the second verse. That definitely holds a lot of meaning for me. I’d like to start memorizing and scripture and just quotes from favorite songs, books, stories, and poems. I’ve always just wanted to be able to recite a favorite quote when appropriate. The only books I can do that with right now are the Harry Potter books, lol. And they are mostly always quotes of Dumbledore’s.
I really want to be one of those people who is comforting a friend and can be like, “Well, it says in 2 Corinthians, let us not fix our eyes on what is seen but on what is unseen.” Right now, I’m all, “Well, um, there’s this quote… or maybe it’s a verse… I’m not sure… something about focusing on the present?” … yeah. I need to work on memorizing Scripture! It’s such a comfort to me, too, so really, a win-win.