Family Faith and Fun Fridays: Hide it in Your Heart
Just this week I recommitted myself to hiding God’s Word in my heart. And as I’ve asked God to stir within me a greater passion for memorizing his Word, I’ve asked him also to spark the same passion within my family. During the school year, we often try to memorize one Bible verse a month, but even that small goal can easily get diminished by soccer games, football practices and homework duty. However, I’m learning that if scripture memory is a part of our daily routine it doesn’t take long to fill up our hearts and minds with truth.
Years ago my mother gave me an old window which I hang on our kitchen wall right by the place we gather to eat. The window has become our hub for family scripture, a reminder that God’s Word provides a window into His heart. I post the verse we are striving to memorize on the window- one or two words per pane-and we read it together each morning at breakfast time. Sometimes our memory verse is the ticket to dessert. Just last night I announced, “Anyone who wants pumpkin cake needs to tell me what Philippians 4:8 says!”
I’ve also found that if I turn the scripture we are memorizing into a prayer and speak it regularly over the kids they learn God’s Word nearly unaware. Just moments ago as I tucked Luke into bed for the night I prayed Philippians 4:8 over his sleepy frame: “Lord help Luke to fix his mind on You. Help him to filter his thoughts and toss out the ones that don’t honor you. May Luke think on what is noble, right, and true, on what is pure, lovely, and admirable. On whatever is excellent or praiseworthy. Amen!
Though daily repetition and simple routines are perhaps the most effective way to help kids memorize scripture, I do love to play little games to promote Bible memory. Why not pick a verse for your family to memorize and kick off your goal with one of these fun activities? (Need a verse? Join us in memorizing Philippians 4:8 or try Philippians 4:13, John 3:16, James 1:5, Ephesians 2:10, or Romans 8:28)
1. Chalk a hopscotch on the driveway and say one word of the verse with each jump.
2. Write the words of the verse on an index card and lay the cards face down on the supper table. Have each family member draw a card and then try to say the verse with each person holding up the appropriate word as it occurs in the verse.
3. Play jump rope and hop out the verse.
4. Set up an obstacle course and pick up one word of the verse at each station. When the obstacle course is done, the verse should end, too.
5. Write the verse with a Sharpie on the back of a puzzle. Put the puzzle together as a family and read the verse together when the puzzle is done.
6. Serve an ice cream sundae bar. Offer one topping for each word of the verse a child can memorize (this works best with shorter verses unless you want to have dozens of toppings!)
7. Put a long line of pillows on the floor and leap frog over them saying the verse as you go. Turn it into a relay race if your family enjoys competition.
8. Play balloon tennis (blow up a balloon and use two spatulas to volley the balloon back and forth- don’t let the balloon touch the ground) and say one word of the verse for each volley.
9. Put the verse to music. Use a well-known tune like “Row Row Row Your Boat.” Sing it together often.
10. Write each word of the chosen verse on a small piece of paper and put it inside of a balloon. Number the balloons in order and invite each child to figure out how to pop the balloon and get to the word inside (add a piece of candy in each one for an extra treat). Then say the verse aloud as you go.
Whatever you choose to do, have fun. The Word is ALIVE! It is not boring and dull. It does not require a solemn face or a three-piece suit. Teach your children the JOY of hiding God’s Word in their hearts and they will experience the richness of all His treasures!
the Overflow: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. -Psalm 119:11
Wonderful ideas, Alicia, thanks so much! We too (okay I) am working on ways to fit in more memorization and am so excited to use some of these ideas. I might steal your window idea if you don’t mind, along with some of the others. Great ideas, thanks for sharing “your overflow” to fill our hearts too.