The Mother of Learning
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on
it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.."
(Joshua 1:8a)
Beloved Friends in Christ,
It is said that repetition is the mother of all learning. The truth of this saying hit home for me in a rather unexpected way this past week. It happened as I was listening to the radio while driving my car. A song that I am sure I have not heard in over 30 years began to play. Yet there I was, remembering and singing all of the words as if it were just yesterday that I had last done so. At first I was surprised that the words came so easily to me. But then, as the song went on, it became clear to me why the words were so easy to remember. The lyrics of the song were extremely repetitive. Repetition is indeed the mother of learning.
When it comes to the Word of God, the same is true. That which we hear and say over and over again becomes ingrained in us so that it even becomes a part of who we are and how we live.
That is why the regular worship in which we participated throughout the year gone by was such a beautiful thing. There we not only heard the Word of God read and explained. There we not only lifted up our voices to God in praise, singing His Word in the liturgy and hymns that make up our worship. But there we were also shaped as the people of God.
And if you ever wonder whether it matters that the songs and prayers and other elements of our liturgy are said and sung as often as they are, you need only visit the shut in members of our congregation. There, especially among those who are losing clarity of mind, you will discover a great appreciation of what has been committed to memory. It is even common to see tears of joy flowing down the cheeks of those who were once pillars of the church as something familiar-the creed, the Lord's Prayer, a psalm or hymn-is shared in their presence.
At the other end of the spectrum, it has always been a joy for me to hear a "Hey, I know that!" from the lips of a confirmand as we wade through what for them is unfamiliar Biblical territory. Suddenly, their minds are tuned in again to the truths of God's Word because a repeated portion of our worship service brought them back on track.
Hearing the Word of God, singing the Word of God, meditating upon the Word of God, and learning the Word of God; all these help us live and rejoice in the Word of God, as we again by the grace of God were privileged to do in the year of 2008.
In His service,
Pastor Richard A. Frey