Something’s Lacking
Having been prompted to take inventory of my spiritual health recently, I have realized that an important item has slid off my mornings. Scripture memory work has disappeared from my morning quiet time and it’s absence has had ripple effects! For many years I have memorized Scripture with my children, but this school year changed our mornings drastically and we have not had any consistent devotions & Scripture study together.
What I realized during this time of spiritual inventory (which was prompted by noticing my prayer life is weakening) is that I am now “going it alone” when it comes to Scripture memory. When we were a homeschooling family our mornings were started everyday with time in the Word and Scripture memory work. Now the kids are busier in their youth group and AWANA programs each working on individual memorization work.
The most notable thing I am missing from Scripture memory work is a word bank for nightly blessings. Some years ago I began choosing specific passages, memorizing them and then prayerfully blessing each of my children at bedtime. After a period of time with one passage, I would work to memorize another, and so on. These nightly blessings have become somewhat rote and lacking variety and specifics for the application to the ins and out of daily life.
There are several places where I heard about Scriptural blessings, but one in particular stands out to me. Some years ago, I watched a video of a chapel service (Compassion or Focus on the Family probably). Michael W Smith was speaking and towards the end of his time, the topic of spoken blessings was covered. I sought out his book, A Simple Blessing from our local library. Here is a related video, possibly the same one I originally watched, but I’m not sure. I do know the part about “the blessing” begins at about minute 26.
A Reason for Giving A Simple Blessing
These words are one very good reason for speaking Scriptural blessings over people: “If people would change what they are pursuing, they wouldn’t find themselves staring through the shattered window of broken dreams and torn relationships.”
If I speak audible blessings over my children, infusing words of encouragement, truth, value and understanding, seeds of purpose are sown in their minds and hearts. There is a shaping that can take place that will aid in the choices each daughter must make along life’s way. I know the curses that were spoken over me had a negative impact in my life’s choices for too long. I desire to give my children something infinitely better, in the immediate and in the future. Actually, I want to have a life giving impact on others as well, the other people in my life, our sponsored children. There is a whole big world in need of a simple blessing.
All this leads me back to knowing that it is a necessity for me to get back to Scripture memory and blessing writing, blessing giving. It would be a joy to have you join me in this discipline. If you are interested in joining me in Scripture memory and blessings, let me know in the comments. Here’s a blessing to start with:
May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him. So that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, and one day share it with a world so in need of hope. (from Romans 15:13)
