Big Mac and the Ten Commandments

Psalm 19:8, “The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.”

Okay, I realize your first question is what do hamburgers have to do with the Bible.

Well, according to a study in 2007. Put to the test, Americans recalled the seven ingredients of a McDonald’s Big Mac hamburger and members of TV’s The Brady Bunch more easily than the Ten Commandments.

It’s amazing how incredible our memories are. I myself couldn’t tell you the ingredients on a Big Mac but I still can sing you theme songs of shows I watched as a child. It’s amazing how we can remember or even memorize things we’ve heard repeated over and over. Whether sight, smells, sounds, names, places, phone numbers, or song lyrics. At any given moment we can pull the information to the forefront of our mind and recite it.

My family laughs at me because I use landmarks as part of my navigation, so yes, I can get lost if the landmark is removed or changed somehow. Not entirely lost but a little off. The other day my daughter easily recalled our old address we haven’t lived in over eight years where I couldn’t. My husband, we call our human GPS, because he can just about tell you the exact exit numbers on the highway in our state of cities and towns. Memory is an amazing gift, yet so many of us can abuse it with what we put into memory.

As much time you take memorizing repetitious things of this world, have you put in the same or more time in putting scripture to memory? You may know where Psalm 23 is found and the gist of it but can you quote it? The Beatitudes, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and so on. I have memorized some scripture, I know several verses just not exactly where they are found. But I wonder what I know more- God’s precious words or empty words of the world.

The Bible is very clear about what we should be doing with God’s words. “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.” Deuteronomy 11:18.

The Bible mentions several times the importance of remembering God’s Word. It is in knowing the scriptures we can know God’s truth. With all the false prophets, incorrect interpretations, and swaying temptations in our daily lives, we need to know with full confidence what God’s word says.

It is helpful to know phone numbers and addresses, maybe even some other important things in your life. But is it really helpful knowing theme songs or names on a TV show, or even the ingredients to the Big Mac?

Yet, when we memorize scripture, we become equipped for the obstacles we will face and how we can overcome satan’s grip on us. Scripture helps us recognize God’s blessings in our daily lives. Scripture even equips us with what we may need before we have to face it. Having God’s Word written in our hearts helps us know who God is and what He says is true. It can strengthen our faith and walk with the Lord. “Storing texts in our minds about God helps us relate to him as he really is.”- John Piper

Whatever leads you to memorize scripture is divinely driven. God is not a God of coincidence. He places His word in our daily lives for a purpose, keeping our hearts safe from this all-consuming world. His truth alone allows us to stand firm and allow us to see through the lens of godly wisdom and recognize His work in our lives. Take time daily to memorize scripture and keep it in your mind to recall when you need to.

We have talked several times as to what we can gain from studying God’s Word daily. It draws us closer to God, gives us encouragement, and can help us keep our minds on things above more than what is going on around us. Does that mean we will never think of things on earth, no, and not everything is bad for our minds. We need to find a balance with more focus on God than the world. When we spend time in God’s Word we are filling our minds with good things and we will begin to memorize scripture easier. 

Purchase Delaina’s book Seeking A Christ Centered Life: Daily Devotions Through Prayer & Scripture here.

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on ConnectWithGodDaily

Featured Image by Pexels from Pixabay

About the Author

Delaina Cischke's desire is to share the love of Jesus and hopefully inspire her readers. She likes to see people smile and try to accomplish good feelings with her work. Hopefully, all her readers will get a blessing when they read anything she has put pen to as it is the Lord who leads in everything she does.

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