The Scripture for memory this month answers the question:
What is man’s condition since the Fall?
I started to have us memorize the whole passage, but changed it to Romans 3:10-12, 15-18. This passage is a reminder that there is nothing naturally about us that seeks after GOD and desires Him.
I know. That isn’t something we easily gulp down is it? But the early part of Romans makes quite a strong case for that teaching by Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
For those of us who are parents, it doesn’t take long to believe this just might be true as we watch our children mature.
None of us have taught them to want their own way or to be selfish with a sibling or peer…or even to disobey us! That’s the part that seems to come naturally.
We have to teach them to share, to obey even when they don’t want to…and a host of other things as well.
Most of all, we need to teach them about the GOD who loves them. In fact, He loved them so much that He put aside the glories of heaven to come to earth and die for us…in order to pay the penalty for our sin, death. It is a death that we deserved, but He died after living a perfect life before the Father. Now, if we are “in Christ”, we can stand before the Father dressed in the righteousness of Christ! How wonderful…and it is all of His grace to us.
So here is our starting place…”none righteous, no, not one!” This is after the Fall, but before we have accepted the Cross for ourselves…and the gift of grace Christ gave us when he died and spilled His blood for us.
“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside;
together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
For links to the earlier memory verses see here and here. Keep memorizing, reviewing and if you haven’t started, start on this page and work your way back as you are able.
The link to the passage is on Bible Gateway.com. I’m linking you there because you can change to a different version or different language if you want. You can even listen to the passage to be read to you if you find that to be more helpful! Once you find the version and have the passage the way you want it, you can print it from there as well.
A helpful way to memorize is with partners or groups of friends…in person.
Another helpful way is to do it as a family.
Don’t shy away from less contemporary versions for your children. If any are like I was as a child, King James (one of my only choices at the time) stuck in my head better than the more moderns versions! Now I prefer ESV for a similar reason. I’m guessing it is because of its rhythm and style. I’m not really sure. I just know that the modern ones do NOT stick with me. They often leave out the the bigger, richer meaning words too. Thinking about the meaning of a passage promotes meditation and further study…all things that we want to promote.
As a child matures and learns more about their meanings, memorized passages that are already in their memory bank are more fully enriched as they meditate on them.
How are you doing your memory?
- Are you doing the full passages?
- Are you picking our a verse or two?
- Are you doing it as a family?
- Are you doing it with friends?
- Are you doing it with a Sunday School class?
I’d love to know what is helpful, what isn’t helpful.
What could be done to make this more useful to you.