Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach.
Proverbs 22:17
My family and my church family have a commitment to read the Chronologica Bible through this year...2023. We are currently in the book of Proverbs, and I am amazed at the repetition that I have noticed. For one example, it intrigues me at the number of times the exact same story will be told by different authors. Many times it includes exact wording, but often there will be some additional details in one passage that is not included in others. Another example of repetition is how many times God will reveal His directions to an individual using the same words and directions. Sometimes these directions are expressed to different generations in an effort to complete a promise that was given to a leader if the leader will only follow God’s directions. I know that when we reach the reading in the Gospels in the New Testament, we will see many more examples of the repeated stories of events and lessons.
That whole concept brings us to the current day. As parents, how often is it necessary for us to repeat our instruction to our children? Perhaps these instructions are for the purpose of avoiding injury or accidents. Often times the repeated requests are necessary in order to get a simple task completed. Even the answer to the question “Why?” followed by “Because I said so.” (That is the one thing my mother said to me that I was NEVER going to say to my own children. Please don’t survey my children.)
As God’s children, how often is it necessary for Him to repeat His instructions or commandments to us? Does He have to remind us to study His word in order to know and follow His directions? Does He use others to highlight the spiritual gifts from God that we are leaving on the shelf? Is it necessary for us to be faced with danger, fear, or anxiety before we make time to talk to God? According to several sources, the most repeated phrase in the Bible is a variation of “Do not be afraid,” yet how often do we have that adrenaline rush as a result of an event that predicts danger? Perhaps what we really need to comprehend is the importance of why there is so much repetition in the Bible. Is it that the repeated concepts that are the most important things to recall? Is it that these are the areas that Christian communities need to recall and initiate? Could it be that these are worthy of memorization?
All of these situations are reminders of how repetition is a part of our relationship with God. Not only does He utilize repetition in order to teach us, but He also wants us to use repetition in our praise and worship to Him. He never grows weary of our efforts to love Him, praise Him, and worship Him.
Did I mention that we are currently reading Proverbs?
He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die. Proverbs 19:16
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Proverbs 19:20
Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. Proverbs 19:27
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12
Perfect examples of God’s repetition!
Your fellow Able Mom,
Nancy Middlebrooks
Thank you God that you repeat your instructions to us in a patient and tender way.
Help us as mothers to do the same for our children, and evaluate the worth of our
instructions before we share them. Amen.
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