The Mystery of Repetition


Have you heard this?  If you prayed for a thing once—that’s enough—don’t pray again—that’s a lack of faith.

















Someone should have told Jesus that!

1.  Garden of Gethsemane:
Jesus, on the night of his arrest, knew his time was at hand.  He was in the garden praying—asking for God’s help.  The gospels tell us that Jesus prayed three times.  Mathew’s gospel tell us: “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.” (Matthew 26:44, NIV)  Wow Jesus—not even different words?  You said ‘the same thing?’  

2.  Jesus’ encourages repetition:

Mt 7:7* “Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. (NLT)

I have used the NLT because it perhaps betters translates the verb tense in this passage. 
Ask is a verb that is in the Present, Active, Imperative
Present- The present tense can either be continuous/ongoing or undefined
Active-  The subject is doing the asking
Imperative-  It is a command

There is —at the very least—a possibility that Jesus means… keep on asking.

3.  Parable of the Persistent Widow

This might be the clincher.  Jesus show cases a widow in his parable 

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering  me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”” Luke 18:1-8, NIV.

Jesus is pretty sure here—He is encouraging persistency to the degree of annoying. “This widow keeps bothering me…”  These words are highlighted as a goal to attain.  Keep crying out to him day and night.


So why repetition?

1.  I’m not entirely sure…it might be one of those mysteries in my spiritual journey.  I have learned to be more comfortable with mystery and ambiguity in my journey.  It’s okay not to know everything!

2.  What if true faith is manifested in my persisting asking?  What if my persistency in prayer is doing a deep work in me?  What if persistency in prayer is a sign of my faith?  Will the Lord find faith in me —when He comes?


3.  If a one time ask, seals the deal—by age 66 I might of run out things to ask God for!  After all, by age 66 will have been praying for 60 years!  That’s a lot of asking!

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