Re-Memorizing Entire Books of Bible after Long Hiatus

Feb 2019

Hiatus means a pause or break in an activity. I didn't realized it has happened to me, as if I left in my home and searched an unknown place - nothing but barrenness and dessert without the constant words of God in my memories.

Many reasons, like my change of job, change of systems in our company that needs more re-learning, pregnancy, death of a beloved brother in Christ (Bro Henry) who the Lord helped to lead me to him after I became agnostic. Whatever the reasons are, I am glad I realized how is my life without this activity - it is a blessing in disguise and now I know I will do this forever this time as long the Lord gives me life.

  

It was a while that I paused memorizing and reviewing my memorized books,  about two years (2017-2018). Those times were the most difficult days of my life since I knew our Lord,  because I seem to forgot the hope to which I was called out of my stress in every area of my life. Memorization makes me more aware of the glorious inheritance of the saints and aware of the immeasurable power for those who believe in the Lord.

Stressful stage of my new work, cares of life and some discouragement from others who do not agree or have not developed the love of His words has been some of my hindrance of memorization,  but the Lord had mercy on me and given me grace to be able to meditate on His words again in consistent systematic schedule. I think those who discourage me are well meaning brothers, we just don't have the same gifts that is why they thought it was a burden I am unnecessarily taking. Actually,  it was not difficult once started,  like after two months,  its like what I long for to do, its like my rice that I never get tired eating,  its like water I never wanted to take away from my diet.

Now that we gain some stability in my new work, I relook my book memorization and sad to say I didn't have an entire book memorized out of those 8 books.  I failed to continue on Romans too, which I planned to start last year.

In the last week of January 2019, I decided to re-memorize all and embark to my plan again to memorize the New Testament, revised plan is 2019-2023. Actually it looks possible to finish in four years because I have 1 year in past, its just a buffer.  I thought I have to redo all but I realize if at first it took me an hour a day for 3 days to memorize every chapter, yet now it took me only an hour a day for a chapter, giving me five short days to re-memorize the entire book (originally takes 14+ days for James, now down to 5 days) and now I plan to recite from memory from Feb 1 to 5. Therefore those hard work I have done on June 2015 for a year isn't totally gone.

I started to hear Ephesians from audio bible for two days now,  about 3x a day, and today I re-memorized Ephesians 1. Tomorrow,  I will recite Ephesians 1 from memory,  then recite whole James then re-memorize Ephesians 2. It really feels great to be in track again. The passages helps me in my current struggles.

This time I wont make that long pause and monitor closely, I won't burn out myself also because I know memorization is like a growing baby in a mother's tummy - for example baby takes 9 months and cannot be rushed! Memorization is such a blessing, how could I stop for a long time. I know this is preparation for me to be a more useful servant of our Savior. Maybe this is the grace given to me,  to keep huge portions of bible in my memory, I want it to be part of my lifestyle like breathing,  to be my natural routine that makes the best use of my idle time.

The new simple rule I have now is 'do not miss twice'.  There will be a day that I couldn't do what was scheduled,  like when there was a farewell lunch then I miss memorizing new verses that lunch time,  and even transport going home I couldn't review because my mind is busy sending my farewell message to my good officemate Christian brother who helped me survived while in difficult period of work. Thus I missed a day of memorizing and reviewing but the next day I made sure I didn't miss any. I also didn't push to catch up because I was always ahead more than a week in schedule.

March 19, 2019

I now had re-memorized 4 books total of 21 Chapters in 2 months. Means it is possible also that I could do the gospel of John in 2 months time, looking forward for it next month. The idea I had is try to memorize first all those I once memorized since it is easier,  so I will embark on totally new after all those 8 books are in regular review schedule. I am now more careful to put intervals making sure all books are slowly but surely goes to monthly and maybe soon every two months review. I also dropped listening to audio books,  I just always carry my waterproof ' NT with Psalms and Proverbs' wherever I go, maximum of accumulated 2 hours in a day which actually composed of travel time and 30 mins in lunch time and some other idle time.  Thanks God for his 'words of life', it is my meditation day and night.

Sept 25, 2019

I reviewed this post and realized it is better to note down what works and what did not. Listening to audio books to review my memorized books doesn't work for me. It is better for me to recite from memory and check in my waterproof bible if anything I miss out - it is easier for me to recall base on how it was printed on the book. "Don't miss twice" is sometimes not doable, there is a whole week I couldn't memorize new verses or even review books on its schedule but I press on the next possible day to change my schedule to fit the miss out days, and it works. Printing my schedule and pasting in the back of my waterproof bible would not work well also because there are days that I miss and I could not update easily the new schedule. Thus, I bought a cheap 2-in-1 Tablet/Laptop Lenovo 370 (2nd hand), I would update it in my google drive file, this way, the schedule is always up to date. I also can update the same file in my iPhone.

Now I am realizing that it gives me joy and fulfillment in my journey to complete this goal. So grateful to God. Lately I find myself singing Psalm 911 out of joy! Praise God!