Okay, we get it!

January 12, 2009

Today's reading: Genesis 23-24 and Matthew 9

Have you ever noticed that there are sections of the Bible that are really repetitive? Take the reading in the Old Testament, with the story of Abraham’s servant. I have always liked this story, because it shows how praying specifically for things will cause them to come to pass.

The problem is that it teaches this lesson a little too well. After all, the Bible already shows us the part where Abraham’s servant prays the “yes, and I’ll water your camels too” prayer. And yet, there is a scene later where he has to tell Laban everything that we already know.

I’ve always noticed that in film, where someone tells a character about something is not as effective as showing the actual scene itself. There is a cinematic rule that says “show, not tell”, and I wish it was applied here.

Let’s put it this way: in the movie version of Genesis 24, we would seen Laban say: “So how did you meet Rebekah?” Then the servant would say: “well…”, and after a quick cut, we the audience would just assume that all main characters were up to speed.

And yet, the Bible sees a need to repeat it to the point where it is almost tedious. This makes it somewhat hard to read, as the mind just wants to skim over the seemingly unimportant parts and “cut to the chase”.

In a similar way, the miracles of Jesus start to become repetitive. I realize this may sound as a complaint about Scripture, but I ask you to hear me out. (This is called “Irreverent Reverence” remember?) I challenge any of you to list all the miracles Jesus performed in our New Testament reading, in order.

Chances are you can’t, so what happens? Our mind just skims over and goes yadda yadda yadda, Jesus does miracles. In this manner, we takes something that is supernatural, and make it natural by repetition.

So you could read these passages and say, “Okay, we get it”. However, aren’t we missing something? God has done a wonderful work. We should not let the retelling of it weaken what a wonderful work it is.

Instead, we should cherish every time something good from the Lord comes to us. Let us not be afraid to repeat it, either. The more we keep repeating all the good things that the Lord does, the more real they truly become. Sure, there will be those who will be sick of hearing it, but you know what I have to say to that? You don’t want to know. (I’m not about to get too irreverent.)