Podcast Summary: "Storing Up Scripture in Our Hearts"

Podcast: Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson
Host: Ligonier Ministries
Episode Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode, part of a weeklong devotional series, explores the vital Christian practice of remembering—especially remembering God’s unchanging character through the discipline of storing up Scripture in our hearts. Sinclair B. Ferguson examines why and how Christians can sustain spiritual stability amid life’s constant ebb and flow, drawing from tradition, hymns, and personal stories to illustrate the transformative power of internalizing God’s Word.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Challenge of Forgetfulness

• Summary:
  Ferguson opens by acknowledging the recurring human struggle to remember spiritual truths, despite being repeatedly commanded to remember throughout Scripture.
  • "It's all very well to be told, remember, but how can we begin to remember when our problem actually is that we keep on forgetting?" (00:13)

2. The Role of Scripture in Recalibrating Life

• Summary:
  Immersing ourselves in Scripture not only informs our minds but stabilizes our emotions and perspectives, especially when life is tumultuous.
  • Ferguson cites an old Scottish hymn, "God the Unchangeable," using its lyrics to illustrate how recalling God’s constancy resets our emotional and spiritual state.
  • "[The hymn writer] realized that he had forgotten something, and that was that his Lord was the same yesterday, today, and forever. And it was that knowledge that recalibrated his thinking and actually recalibrated his emotions and stabilized him." (01:02)

3. Becoming "Walking Bibles"

• Summary:
  The goal is not rote, robotic recollection of verses, but a deeply embedded scriptural reflex—Scripture should flow naturally from us, shaping our responses and instincts.
  • Ferguson shares Charles Spurgeon’s famous description of John Bunyan:
    • "Prick Bunyan anywhere and he bleeds Bibline." (02:15)
  • He likens this to a concert pianist whose knowledge of the music becomes second nature:
    • "They seem to play almost by instinct. They don't even need the score, the text in front of them. And the Scriptures really urge us to develop that kind of knowledge of them." (03:11)

4. Practical Biblical Models and Methods

• Summary:
  The structure of Scripture itself, such as Psalm 119’s acrostic format, was designed to facilitate memorization, especially for the young.
  • "That's why, for example, the 119th Psalm... were actually originally written in the form that we have them because they were meant to be memorized by young people." (03:44)
  • The practice of scriptural storage leads to holy living:
    • "How is a young man going to live a holy life? By taking heed to your word." (04:08)

5. Testimonies from the Saints

• Summary:
  Personal stories of older Christians demonstrate that Scripture, once deeply embedded, remains accessible even as memory fades in other areas.
  • "I've known people whose minds seem to have gone, who can't even remember the names of their nearest and dearest relatives. But if you begin to quote a verse of Scripture, they will join in..." (04:33)
  • This portrays the Word as reaching the soul’s deepest places, maintaining fellowship with God when all else may fail.

6. The Lifelong Project of Storing Up Scripture

• Summary:
  Ferguson urges listeners not to delay—what we sow in our hearts now is the harvest we will reap later. The discipline of internalizing Scripture is a lifelong, cumulative journey.
  • "We are sowing the seeds of the harvest that we will reap in the future, and we desperately need to sow the seeds of the Word of God in our hearts." (05:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sinclair Ferguson (on forgetfulness):
  • "How can we begin to remember when our problem actually is that we keep on forgetting?" (00:13)
• On the lasting power of Scripture:
  • "If you begin to quote a verse of Scripture, they will join in. It's as though the Word of God has gone deeply into their souls." (04:39)
• On becoming instinctively scriptural:
  • "What we really need is so to absorb Scripture that it becomes part of us, that in a sense, we become a walking Bible in human form..." (02:55)
• On the long-term impact of memorization:
  • "We tend not to think about that when we're younger. But we are sowing the seeds of the harvest that we will reap in the future..." (05:09)

Important Timestamps

• 00:07 — Introduction to the week's theme: remembering through Scripture.
• 01:02 — Story of the Scottish hymn and the importance of remembering God’s constancy.
• 02:15 — Spurgeon’s remark on John Bunyan, highlighting the ideal of scriptural saturation.
• 03:11 — Comparison to concert pianists and instinctive knowledge.
• 03:44 — Explanation of Psalm 119’s purpose as a memorization aid.
• 04:33 — Testimonies of elderly saints who retain Scripture after other memories fade.
• 05:13 — Reflection on the need to sow God's Word in our hearts for future spiritual nourishment.

Overall Tone & Final Thoughts

Sinclair B. Ferguson’s approach is pastoral, earnest, and gently persuasive, balancing reflection with practical encouragement. He uses historical references, hymnody, and personal anecdotes to frame the lasting significance of Scripture memory—not as a burdensome task, but as a foundational discipline that profoundly shapes Christian living, both now and into the twilight of life.

Listeners are left with a deepened appreciation for the spiritual endurance that comes from treasuring God’s Word in heart and mind, and an invitation to begin (or renew) this lifelong practice without delay.