Colossians 3:14

Wednesday, July 26

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.Colossians 3:14

Memorization of Scripture and meditation on Scripture go together, and one can easily lead to another. (By “meditation,” I mean taking time to reflect on the meaning of Scripture, especially what it means for me personally.) Today, instead of focusing on memorizing the words without really thinking about what they mean, let’s go the opposite route. 

Take a few moments to consider the following questions:What is Paul referring to when he speaks of “all these virtues”? Look back at (or quote) the previous two verses.How does love “bind together” these virtues?And most importantly, what would it look like for you to “put on love” today? What are some specific, concrete ways you could do this?

Read through the verse slowly, multiple times, reflecting on how God would want this verse to affect your life. Next, pray the verse; in other words, ask God to help you do what this verse says, using the wording in the verse to guide what you pray. When you’re finished praying, see if you can quote the verse without looking at it. If you can’t get it exactly, instead of immediately looking back at the verse, express the meaning of the verse in your own words. Then read the verse again, and see if you can say it from memory, repeating the process until you have it memorized. I think you’ll find that the result is a deeper, richer encounter with God’s Word.