Make Room for Christ at Christmas: How to Memorize During the Holiday Season

I love Christmas! Intentionally reflecting on the Incarnation, listening to fabulous Christmas carols, visiting family, and exchanging gifts are truly meaningful. What is not so great is the busy schedule that often accompanies the holiday season. Multiple parties, crowds everywhere you go, and the travel to and from loved ones' homes can be exhausting. One dad called Christmas, "The period where my hectic schedule becomes more hectic." Most can relate to the sentiment on some level.

Our habit of Scripture memory can often suffer during this season. As strange and sad as it sounds, a holiday remembering the birth of Christ sometimes gets so busy that we neglect His Word. What can we do to keep Scripture memory front and center? Consider the following tips.

Commit Beforehand

Before the busyness sets in, say "yes" to Bible memory. Commit to the Lord and yourself that no matter how filled your schedule might become, there will always be a place for God's Word to be memorized. A prior, intentional commitment can keep you motivated when you face the temptation to quit.

Set Reasonable Goals

Be realistic and set yourself achievable goals for the coming time constraints. Maybe a sustainable plan for you is to maintain your previous memory work through consistent review. Perhaps it involves starting a brief topical memory course or working through a short passage of Scripture for the month of December. Discover what can reasonably work for you and run with it.

Find Your Time and Guard It

Diligent memorizers try to have consistent time set aside each day to work on Bible memory. Do you? If you do, consider whether that scheduled time will work for December. You may need to change it. Look over your calendar and pencil in dates and times to meet with the Father. Adapt to prioritize what is important – God's Word. Guard these times at all costs! Don't miss your "appointment" with the Lord unless you have a dire emergency.

Utilize Spare Moments

Be on the lookout for free moments to memorize. They are abundant if you only look. Downtime on the car and plane rides to visit loved ones gives ample opportunity to work on Bible memory. How about Christmas Eve after everyone has gone to bed? It's quiet and still, the perfect setting for memorizing and meditating on the Word. Keep alert for these spare moments and utilize them for the glory of God.

This holiday season, make room for Christ at Christmas by memorizing His Word!