Date: 08-23-2020

Title: Childhood Lessons

(S) cripture:
    Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

(O) bservation:
    This is a promise to Jeremiah about the restoration of the people from exile. Jeremiah has not had much good news in his word from the Lord. This must have come as some refreshing news. God would hear and answer Jeremiah.

(A) pplication:
    As a child, about eight years old, I was part of a Bible memory group at my home church, Highlawn Baptist in Huntington, WV. This club was led by Henry and Theresa Bird. In the course of a couple of years we memorized about 300 Bible verses. We were quizzed each week and at the end we were put in front of the church on a Sunday night and were randomly asked to recite some of the verses. We did not miss one. This verse from Jeremiah was one of the first verses that we memorized. I used the KJV in this post because it is how I memorized it and how I recite it today even though it has been more than 60 years since I have consistently used a King James Version of the Bible. I will never forget the lessons I learned in that Bible Club, they helped shape my life. Bible memory is not something we emphasize much anymore. I wonder what lessons our children are missing because they are not challenged to memorize the scripture. The emphasis on scripture memory is one reason I am thankful for the AWANA program in our church. I wonder how much we as adults are missing because we no longer memorize the scripture. I wonder how often we misquote or misrepresent the Scripture because we say what we think it says rather than quoting it verbatim, and thus knowing what it says. Today I thank the Birds for their investment in my life and the example they set for me.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, help me to get your word right when I use it. Help me to encourage others to write your word on their hearts. Thank you for bringing people like the Birds into my life. Amen