Can You Repeat That?

READ: GENESIS 18:10-14; JEREMIAH 32:26-27, 36-41; LUKE 1:26-38

Sometimes, I need to hear things more than once before it “clicks.” Whether it’s a process at work or the day’s schedule or a recipe that I just keep forgetting (how long does it need to bake in the oven again?). I just need it explained one more time, because it didn’t sink in the first time. Because I still don’t get it.

Thankfully, God is very aware of our limitations. He knows that sometimes we just don’t hear Him, or we forget, or we get distracted or confused about what He’s told us. Personally, I believe that’s why the Bible is written down—so we can reference it again when we just aren’t sure. God even repeats Himself throughout Scripture. Like a parent who tells their child every day, “I love you,” God is constantly reminding us of His love, His gifts, and His good ways.

Recently, while I was reading my Bible, I noticed a few verses from very different places that all have the same message. Coincidence? I think not. Luke 1:37 has always been a favorite of mine. When the angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus even though she was still a virgin, the angel said, “Nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then in Genesis 18, I read about God’s prophecy that Abraham and his wife Sarah would have a son, and how Sarah laughed, knowing it wasn’t possible in her aging body. But the Lord responded, “Is anything impossible for the LORD?” (verse 14).

Then there’s Jeremiah 32:27, which contains the exact same message, but this time for a people defeated and discouraged by the consequences of their sins. Even in their failure, God told them to be alert for the wonderful things He would do in their future. He is a God for whom nothing is impossible. No matter how much we fail. No matter how young or inexperienced or unqualified we feel. God is always capable of doing more than we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20). • Abigail Aswegen

• God knows that we need lots of reminders of His love and promises, and He patiently provides these for us. He also invites us to patiently repeat His message to people around us—as often as they need to hear it. How could you do this today?

• Are there truths in the Word that you struggle with? Who are trusted Christians in your life who could help you find other places in the Bible that communicate the same thing, but maybe from a different angle? How does the gospel help us understand the whole Bible? (See our "Know Jesus" page.)

“Look, I am the LORD, the God over every creature. Is anything too difficult for me?” Jeremiah 32:27 (CSB)