CHALLENGE RULES
- This will be a 21-day challenge. Memorise the following passages each week:
Week 1 — James 1
Week 2 — Proverbs 16
Week 3 — Romans 12 -
At the end of three weeks, come up with a creative product that encapsulates one thing you learnt from this experience. Enjoy!
Challengers: Pollyanna Tang, 19
Fun Facts:
1. I am blessed with six wonderful siblings
2. I am an aspiring ballerina
3. I have fractured my arm twice
FIRST THOUGHTS
Recently, I visited a missionary couple and was given a small package that included more than 70 key verses in the Bible that covered topics on our faith, relying on God’s resources, being Christ’s disciples, and growing in Christ-likeness. Since then, I have committed to memorising one Bible verse a week. However, aside from my past Scripture memory found in my home-schooling curriculum, and some memory verses from childhood, there has definitely been a period when I stopped keeping God’s word close to my heart.
Admittedly, I have been feeling a little disconnected in my walk with God recently. Hence, I hope and pray that this challenge will remind me that Scripture memory is not merely to show off to my family and friends but to gain priceless truths from the Word. I hope that after this challenge, I will be able to yearn for the Word earnestly, and continue this habit for a lifetime.
WEEK ONE
The challenge started off well. James 1 was really dear to my heart and every verse spoke truth to me. I really enjoyed how the entire passage flowed like a story, which made memorising it less of a hassle. Surprisingly, my mum and best friend decided to hop on board with me, and we cheered one another on, keeping each other accountable! Every day, my mum would bring her Bible out to the dining table. She would quote a section of the passage from memory, and I would catch any errors she made and correct them. This process really worked wonders. It was really enjoyable too, because I got to meditate on the verses while working on different chores in the morning, such as hanging the clothes or preparing breakfast for my family!
WEEK TWO
This week proved to be slighter more difficult as I had to balance many tasks alongside the challenge. Hence, my momentum slowed down for the first few days. Also, I struggled with this week’s passage a lot more. Instead of last week’s passage that was like a story, Proverbs 16 was filled with commands and advice that I struggled to piece together. Nonetheless, I decided to push on. There were days when I was a little busy and couldn’t fish out time to read the Scriptures, but I would try to make up for those days by repeating the passage a few more times the next day! The more I repeated the passage, the more it stuck with me and I was able to hop back into the routine and finished strong!
WEEK THREE
As with all challenges, I decided to grasp hold of my final opportunity to give it my all and I was able to memorise Romans 12 with ease. Nonetheless, I was certain that God was doing the work and it was definitely not my own strength and wisdom.
Writing out each chapter and bringing it on the go was a good way for me to keep refreshing my mind with Scripture. I also stuck to a daily routine of reading the chapter thrice in the morning, and thrice in the evening. My sister also volunteered to quiz me on the chapter whenever she heard me reciting the verses!
FINAL THOUGHTS
One of the most impactful verses that spoke to me in this challenge is James 1:2–4, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (NASB).
Even though I have very loving parents who have given me a lot of freedom, there’s one rule that they have always been very strict about — my curfew. When I was younger, I grasped their intention and reason for doing so. However, I recently broke the curfew and had to bear the consequences. I struggled with why they had to be so strict with me when I’m in my young adult years. This verse reminded me that I should consider my trials in a joyous manner, because the testing of my faith will produce endurance. It helped me to look at my situation in a different light; understanding that my parents would only do this because they loved me enough to care for me.
I’ve been trying to change my perspective to think of how Jesus would have reacted if He were in my situation. Pondering about how Jesus remained humble and calm when everyone mocked him when He was fully blameless and pure allowed me to approach situations with a better attitude and mindset.
Through this challenge, I was reminded of God’s living words, and I will definitely be continuing this habit of Scripture memory on my own. Ultimately, choosing to memorise God’s Word is not for the purpose of showing off an ability to men but to hold ourselves accountable to God. Knowing that there are three chapters in the Bible that I can turn to at any time of the day, at any point of my life was so special. Even though finding extra time to slot in Scripture memorisation was
a little arduous, I never regretted a single day of this challenge. I would rather have the Bible right in my heart than pursue my worldly pleasures and walk my way towards eternal death and separation from God.
