As people of faith, we know how important it is to read the Bible. As we read the Bible throughout a lifetime, our memory will begin to naturally cling to some stories and verses. For some people, stories about faith stand out; for others, their focus may be drawn toward verses that remind them of God’s love. While we are instructed to read and study the whole Bible, not adding or taking away any one part (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18-19), concentrated scripture memory around one topic or theme can be beneficial to a Christian depending on their specific struggle or season of life.
Children who have been adopted often struggle with assurance in their identity. By encouraging your adopted children to memorize scripture that affirms who God says they are and reminds them that God has a plan and purpose for their life, they can be reminded of the truth of who they are—a child of God, redeemed by Jesus and accepted by Him.
SCRIPTURE
If you would like to encourage your child to memorize scripture, but don’t know where to begin, here are seven passages to get you started!
1. Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
This verse is part of a conversation between God and Joshua as Joshua is commanded to lead the Israelites into the land God has promised them. After spending 40 years wandering in the wilderness, settling into a new home was a scary reality, even if that new home came with great blessings. Similarly, whether in their home country or moving to the United States, living in an institution, foster home, or forever family, the Lord is with our children wherever they go! This truth can bring both comfort and inspiration to adopted children allowing them to “be strong and courageous” knowing God is always with them!
2. Psalm 139:13–16 (HCSB)
“For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.”
Psalm 139 is titled “The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God” (BibleGateway). In this passage, King David expresses gratitude and awe for God’s creation of human life. Like David, we can praise God for forming us and our children in their biological mother’s womb. Regardless of whether or not we personally carried our child in our womb, God knew all the details of who He was making them to be before they were ever born. He always knew adoption would be part of their story, and He always knew you would be chosen as his/her parent. Despite any specialized need, God made no mistakes when creating them, but rather, in His eyes, they have been “remarkably and wonderfully made.” As a whole, Psalm 139 is a wonderful chapter for adoptees to memorize, so they can be continually reminded that God intentionally made them and knows all about them.
3. Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Similar to God’s promise to Joshuah, God reminds Isaiah He is with us! Isaiah 41:10 gives us promises that because God is with us, we don’t have to be afraid. Adopted children often fear because they either think they are alone or they think they are not strong enough to handle the situation before them. Thankfully, this verse promises that God is always with us, and He will be the one to strengthen and help up! He is the ultimate victor, and He holds us in the palm of His hand!
4. Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)
“‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
No matter what happens in life, Isaiah 54:10 reminds us that God’s love for us is unconditional and unfailing! Not only does He love us, but He has also made a permanent covenant of peace with us, and He has compassion for us! This verse serves as a beautiful reminder to adoptees of many characteristics they desire: love, peace, and compassion.
5. Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.’”
In Jeremiah 29, God shares a promise to His people living in exile. Similar to the Israel people, this promise can remind adoptees that God’s ultimate plans for His people are ones of hope and peace. He also promises us that when we come to Him in prayer, He will listen to us, and when we seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us. Combined with what we read in Psalm 139, Jeremiah 29:11 teaches us that not only does God have a plan and purpose for our life, but that plan and purpose is good!
6. John 1:12 (ESV)
“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.”
Early in the Gospel of John, John shares that through Jesus, we are given “the right to become children of God.” Adopted children sometimes struggle with their forever family being different from their biological family. This dissonance can sometimes lead kids to ask, “Who am I? Whose am I?”, and while we are so grateful God has blessed so many children with wonderful forever families, there is a beautiful peace that comes with adopted children knowing that God Himself, the Creator of all things, offers us the hope of being His children for eternity!
7. Romans 8:28 (CSB)
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”
The book of Romans is often known for the verses that encourage Christian believers through challenges and suffering. In Romans 8:28, Paul reminds us that because of God’s providence, He works all things— even our sorrows, trials, and persecutions—together for good. Because of the sin and brokenness in the world, it is easy to say that not everything is good, but what Romans 8:28 teaches us is that everything works together for good. Teaching this Bible verse to adoptees will help them to live with the constant reminder that God is sovereign and in control, working all things “together for the good of those who love God.”
MEMORIZATION
No matter what verses you choose, encouraging your child to memorize scripture will likely have a profound impact on the rest of their life. Many children (and adults) shy away from scripture memory because they think it’s ‘too hard’ or because they say they ‘have a bad memory’. Like anything good in life, solidifying God’s Word into our hearts and minds takes intentionality and hard work. So, instead of making memorizing Bible verses something your kids are required to do, help scripture memory become something fun and enjoyable, helping them to love learning what the Bible has to say! A few tips to help make scripture memory attainable include the following:
Learn It Together
Memorizing scripture with your child not only holds them accountable in their practice, but it also can be a great point of connection and bonding between the two of you! It will also help your child to practice more regularly, and like all memorization, repetition is key (Church Leaders). So, whether you practice during breakfast, in the car, while playing a game, or before going to bed at night, learning the verse together will not only bond you while you practice, but will also connect you with your child as you continue to use that verse to remind your child of truth throughout their lifetime.
Make It Fun
Help scripture memory to be a fun activity rather than a dutiful responsibility. The last thing kids want is extra homework, so as you encourage them to memorize scripture, help them to know and understand that being able to read, know, and memorize God’s Word is a joyful opportunity, not a chore!
Use Motions
One way to make any type of memorization more fun is to attach motions or American Sign Language (ASL) to it (Ministry Spark)! Adding movement can especially help kids who learn kinesthetically, turning words on a page into a little choreographed dance with their body.
Create Visual Reminders
For older kids who know how to read, writing out the Bible verse and putting it in various places they will see during the day can help them to not only initially memorize the verse but also maintain the memorization over time. For example, you can put a verse by the sink where they brush their teeth, one on the refrigerator for when they get a snack or something to drink, another on a mirror they use daily, etc.
Regardless of how you encourage your child to memorize scripture, we are so grateful you are helping your children learn the importance of knowing God’s Word while they are young, so they can believe it in their heart and start praying it over their lives!
