Let Me Say This Again!

How do you emphasise what you want somebody to hear or take careful notice of? You can raise your voice if you are speaking to someone or you could underline or print in large letter if you are writing? Preachers love to repeat things once or twice to get an important point across! The Book of Psalms has lots of examples of repeating a word to two so people will see how important their message is. For example, Psalm 84:8 says "Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob."

God also has his way of emphasising his teaching and we see lots of examples of this in both the Old and New Testaments. One great example of this is in the book of Leviticus. (God thought it especially important for his people at that time). Forty-nine times God repeated the words "I am the Lord" or "I am the Lord your God". In the New Testament Jesus often would say "Truly, truly I say to you". You have to sit up and take notice when you come upon emphases like that. In Leviticus God was emphasising that he is the only living and true God, that he has all authority and that he loved his people. The same message comes to us from the Lord Jesus. All authority belongs to him, salvation comes to us through him and it is in him that we find the great example of how we should live. God is saying "Let me say that again!". Listen to Him.

Prayer

O Lord, help me to heed what you say to me in the Bible — even if you have to repeat it many times. Thank you.