Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
– Philippians 3:1
When I was young, one of the things that irritated me about my parents is that they would tell me things they had already told me once. Or twice. Or twenty times. Words of wisdom and caution were shared on a regular basis, just about any time an opportunity presented itself. My young, arrogant, impatient self would huff and puff, acting as if my parents were committing some grave injustice against me. Yet regardless of any protest on my part, my parents continued to share with me what they believed I needed to hear. What I did not realize then but do now is that their repetition was an act of love.
It is not likely that many people have committed Philippians 3:1 to memory. To my recollection I have never seen it on a bumper sticker or a t-shirt. Granted, it is not the most theologically deep verse of the Bible, nor the most captivating. Nevertheless this verse reveals the deep love that the apostle Paul had for the Christians under his influence. It has almost become fashionable in the church today to criticize Paul, which to me is sad because he had such a passionate commitment to Christ and to the local gathering of believers. Paul would spare nothing in the hope of strengthening the faith and safeguarding the souls of those in the church. If he needed to repeat things, he was quite happy to do so.
I suggest to you that repetition is one way we can receive God’s love. Have you read the Bible? If so, great! Have you read it a second time, and a third? Each time through God has more love to bestow. It is the same with worship, with prayer, and with acts of service in the world. Every repeated act is an opportunity for God to do His good work in you. Are you hoping to become more familiar with scripture? Repetition is a powerful tool. Write a verse down. Write it again the next day, and the following as well. Before you know it, that verse will be firmly established in your mind.
There are things in the Bible that we cannot afford to forget. In regard to those things, repetition is God’s act of love toward us. In the midst of the narratives, the letters and the prophetic writings are truths that disclose God’s character and God’s mission in the world. Perhaps you have observed a pastor who has selected a text for preaching or teaching and thought, “Again? We heard this last year!” In such an instance, bear with your pastor (or teacher, or whomever). Repetition is a key to remembering, and if we are not remembering, we are forgetting. Check the Bible and see what happens when the people of God forget the commandments of God. I’ll give you a hint: it never turns out well for them.
With the simplicity of instructions on a bottle of shampoo, I leave you with this phrase:
Receive. Respond. Repeat.
See you along the Winding Path.
The Winding Path 