Think of anyone who has mastered their profession. They have spent hours learning, practicing, and memorizing their technique. Artists, athletes, musicians, scientists, lawyers: they all spend years devoted to their specialty. Even then they continue to learn and perfect so they can be the best.
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
(II Timothy 2:15, King James Version)
In his second letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul encouraged his disciple to be always mastering his faith. As the pastor of a church, young Timothy faced many challenges. He needed to know how to answer questions and share God’s word with his people.
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples (John 15:7-8, King James Version)
Jesus made it clear to his disciples how important it is that they “abide in” him and his words “abide in” them. To receive the blessings promised to his disciples they — and we — need to know him. To know him we must know his words.
Timothy had the Hebrew scriptures he had learned from his godly mother, eyewitness testimonies from people who saw and knew Jesus, and copies of some of the gospels and letters passed around after Jesus’ ascension. We have sixty-six books of God’s word handed down and packed with wisdom and testimonies from centuries of faithful men and women.
As followers of Jesus and children of God filled with his Spirit, committing his word to memory is essential to living a life connected to him and bearing much fruit. As the psalmist wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11).”