Line Upon Line

In recent years, I am sure I have visited most every doctor in the county, as well as taken most every test offered by the medical profession. Most of those tests take time. While the technicians say that I may breathe, which is kind of them, I am also told to lie perfectly still. During those times, the best way for me to occupy my mind is to quote Scripture. That keeps me from realizing my nose itches or I need to scratch my arm or - worse yet - my toe.

What I have discovered is that after I quote a few verses, I can't seem to recall very many. I continually have to set a goal. While is it good to memorize new verses, I want to review verses that I have already committed to memory. I have learned many over the years in different programs or Bible studies. Many I almost know, but can’t quite quote them. As I review Scripture, I will then be able to renew my mind and meditate upon God's Word.

Psalm 23 is a passage I learned as I child, and I have no idea how many times I have quoted it. However, during one of those tests, I was mumbling along and came to verse 4, "will fear no evil, for Thou art with me...”

Wow! "For Thou art with me."

"FOR THOU ART WITH ME!"; The truth gripped me and almost made me come out of the tube.

As I work on my goal, I want more moments like that. Satan will do all he can to defeat me, but with the Lord's help, I plan to review daily, weekly. There is no perfect plan. I just need to do it.

That brings me to Part 2.

When I first came to Muncie to teach at Heritage Hall Christian School, there was a man who presented a workshop during teachers' week. This Godly Teacher talked about precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little, as he directed us to Isaiah 28:10:

"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.

It's important, he would say, because three verses later God said, "But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little..."

The second year I was at HHCS the principal again assigned the Godly Teacher to give the little talk: precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little.

It was so important for me to hear, that it was given the third year I was at HHCS. While I thought, "I've heard this before,” God used it in my life. I am positive the same talk would have been given the fourth year, but God moved him to the collegiate level. I wonder how many times he quoted those verses over the next three decades to college students.

God used that principle of helping me review with the students. Review is not only important, but it needs to be properly spaced, especially when working with primary-aged students, but older students and adults as well.

Before coming to Muncie, I taught at a small Christian school that had been established shortly after Ohio became a state. An established practice was well in place by the time I came fresh out of college. Chapel was every Friday, and each class would "perform" some little ditty to teach a spiritual truth from the Word. All my years attending and teaching Sunday school, my classes at a Bible college, and elementary education did not prepare me for this torture! There were six teachers besides the principal and me. My perception of this was "Let's see if my class can do better than your class did last week." I did not like this competition. My wheels just didn't turn fast enough or confidently enough to write a program for my star performers. The first couple of times were tolerable, but not good at all.

Third grade chapel time was fast approaching, and I still did not have an idea. The Wednesday night prior to Friday's chapel, I stayed up late to write a program. Now I tell the rest of the story with great shame. I gave up my entire teaching schedule on Thursday, so the students would learn their parts. Yes, we spent the entire day, except for recess and lunch, practicing. Chapel was first thing on Friday, so we had no time to refresh our memories; after all, we spent the whole previous day rehearsing. Friday's chapel was a DISASTER! There was no other way to describe it. I was embarrassed, and I had placed my students in an unfair situation. No one ever said anything to me. They didn't have to. I had already been rebuked!

I definitely went to prayer and asked the Lord's forgiveness of my poor planning, but also asked Him to formulate the next plan. Four weeks prior to our next chapel rotation, I handed out the script and we went through it ONLY once a day for the next 24 school days. In those 24 days we spent much less than half the time than we had on THAT THURSDAY, yet the students knew exactly what they were to do. That was "precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little,” put into practice, even before Godly Teacher made his yearly admonition.

Over the years of teaching I have had other illustrations of putting this principle into practice: Teach, Practice, Apply. I would Teach a new concept, let the students Practice it at the board, on their assignments, and through homework. Then the students were to Apply that information on a test, or better still, in real life.

A supplemental math program I used was entitled "Every Day Counts." It was the same concept, taking five to seven minutes each day and building on the previous work. So much was accomplished with "line upon line.” I have used the concept frequently in teaching, but why has it taken me so long to apply it to my Bible memory work?

A quote written in my Bible, gleaned from an evangelist's wife is: "The secret of the future is hidden in the daily routines." That, too, is "line upon line!"

The goal? Memorize and meditate "precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little." I am the one who will benefit (and you would, too), and the Lord will be honored!