Hiding God's Word In My Little Hearts

Margaret recently told me about a book that she had learned about from our friend, Katy, where you do a short reading with your kids and then teach them a verse from the Bible to memorize. The first verse begins with an "A", the second verse begins with a "B," and so on and so forth until the end when the kids have 26 Bible verses under their belts.

The book is called My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God's Word in Little Hearts by Susan Hunt.

Hunt writes in the beginning of the book "The psalmist said, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11 KJV) God's Word fortifies our children against sin because it tells them about Jesus and their need for Him. The person who helps a child hide the Word in his or her heart gives that child a rich inheritance. Many testify that they have never forgotten the verses they memorized as children. Many also testify that they have never forgotten the person who taught them the Word."

I decided that Lent would be a perfect time to start this book with my kids, and we are doing one verse a week. It really is the sweetest thing to see the kids memorize the verses -- and even Gibson can do it at age three -- each week and put them into practice. We are also using the verses in teaching moments when the situation arises. So far we have learned (we didn't start right at the beginning of Lent):

A soft answer turns away wrath. Proverbs 15:1

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Colossians 3:20

I love that the kids (and Brad and I) are memorizing Scripture, and I hope that they will keep these verses in their little hearts forever. And I know that memorizing these few verses hasn't yet made my kids perfect little creatures, nor will it, but it is my prayer that these verses will be in the back of their minds when they make decisions -- and hopefully they will make better decisions because of them.