You're Repeating Yourself

A few days ago I gave my daughter these instructions as I left for work, “Do something with the chicken in the refrigerator for supper.”  The problem is that my daughter does not always deal well with such ambiguous instructions.  So after work, I decided to pick up something for supper just in case there was nothing ready to eat when I got home.  When I got home she had indeed made something using the chicken in the icebox.  I was pleased, to say the least.  I told my family I brought home fried chicken.  I also told them again the next day, at LEAST three times.  I am not usually a nag so why go through the bother of repeating it that many times?  Well, I know how easy it is to forget and I wanted them to be sure and eat it before it spoiled.  So I went to the trouble to remind them.  I am sure you have done the same thing in your home, for the same reason.  It’s something you want them to remember. In addition, at a later point, you do NOT want to hear, “I didn’t know”, and you do NOT want the discussion that will follow.  As I was thinking about it, I was reminded of the things in the Bible that are repeated.  Things like: Do not fear, love your neighbor, love your enemies, God is faithful.  I could go on but you get the point.  I can’t help but smile as I think about this because I imagine God repeats himself for the same reason that we do.  He’s hoping, like I was, that by the tenth time that we have read it, it will finally sink in and we will remember that he loves us; that we don’t have to be afraid; that he will help us.  Can’t you imagine God throwing his hands in the air in joy and saying, “Finally, You remembered!  Now you understand.”  I’m learning to look for things that God repeats because if he repeats it, it’s because it’s important and he wants me to remember what he has said.  By the way, there is one other thing that Jesus repeated, “I will come again.”  I can’t wait!!!