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Say Again?*

  • November 2, 2022
  • Posted by: Carolyn Mahal
  • Category: Devotions
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And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:41-44

The gospels are four separate accounts of the same story: the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are a few stories that get covered twice in the Bible like the one told in Mark 12 and Luke 21. But four versions of the same story could be considered a great deal of overkill – until you think about it.

When you were in school, you learned that while taking notes in a lecture, if the teacher or professor repeated something more than once, it was an important point that would most likely come back to you in the form of a test question. You also learned that a good teacher will repeat information, sharing it in different ways to help their students to understand it, even if that means saying the same thing three or four times (or more).

There is an obvious importance to something that has been repeated. God gives us the gift of His word. This is critically important to us because it provides guidance, wisdom, life, and salvation to all who hear and believe it.

Are you still not seeing the importance of repetition? Consider the significance of the words, “I love you.” Is it an important phrase? Certainly! But have you ever considered the power of those eight letters?

Remember back to the moment when you realized that you had fallen in love with someone? Did you wrestle with saying it that first time? It is a bit scary to take that step because doing so will forever change the course of that relationship. Do you remember hearing those words for the first time from somebody you loved? It was an amazing feeling, far greater than any other compliment or words of encouragement. Do you ever get tired of hearing it? When you hear your child say they love you for the first time, your heart leaps about 1,000 feet into the air. You’ll never forget that moment and the way those words made you feel. But unlike most things that grow old over time, you still feel that same way when you hear it the 2nd time, 22nd time, and the 222,222nd time.

God loves us. He is good to us. His blessings are abundant. He gives us our faith and directs us through every moment of our days. He gives us everything we need for body and spirt. God loves us and He shows it through His words and actions.

Our response completely lacks in comparison. Our sinfulness clouds our vision of Him. Satan’s lies tempt us to elevate ourselves in pursuit of our own desires, leading us away from the love and blessings God has in store for us. Despite our shortcomings, God continues to love us. Jesus came into our world to redeem us from our sinful condition, restoring the relationship we have with our loving Father. And the Holy Spirit interacts with us daily in the same way that a good teacher will, offering hundreds and thousands of patient reminders to flee from sin and to open our hearts to the will of God.

So don’t grow weary of the Word. Don’t get impatient with God when you find yourself in the wilderness. Go to Him. Listen. Learn. Repent. Forgive. Witness. Serve. Then repeat.

*Used with permission

 

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

Senior Director of Operations