Not All Repetitions Are "Vain"

Hank Hanegraaff is the voice of the Bible Answer Man radio broadcast. He always has something interesting to say, and always comes up with pithy, well-formulated quips and explanations in defense of the Christian faith.

But sometimes he is the Wrong-Answer Man.

I was listening to him as I drove home from work today, and he was broadcasting his audio book, The Prayer of Jesus, in commemoration of the national day of prayer. His book is based on the Lord's Prayer as found in the Sermon on the Mount.

He quotes the scripture about not praying in "vain repetitions," implying that repetitious use of the Lord's Prayer defeats its power and purpose. "You can put away your prayer beads," he says, which would certainly include the Rosary, because you can't "wear God down" through repetition; God knows what you need even before you ask Him.

Hanegraaff then addresses an anticipated objection: Why should we pray at all if God already knows what we need?

Good objection! I thought, if one follows Hanegraaff's logic.

The answer he gave was that we are mistaken if we believe supplication (or, asking God for stuff) is the only form and purpose of prayer. His answer here is correct, for prayer is also a means of thanksgiving, meditation and contemplation, and intercession for others.

My question, however, is: Who says that the intent of a repeated prayer must be to "wear God down" as you beg Him for stuff?

The Rosary, for example, includes repetitions of the Hail Mary and the Lord's Prayer (the "Our Father"), but anyone who knows how to pray it understands that the purpose of the Rosary is to meditate on the mysteries of the gospel -- to meditate on Jesus! It is not to wear Him down in order to get what you want.

These "mysteries" include:

1. The Annuncation of Our Lord
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity of Jesus
4. The Presentation in the Temple
5. The Finding in the Temple
6. The Baptism in the Jordan
7. The Wedding at Cana
8. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
9. The Transfiguration
10. The Institution of the Eucharist
11. The Agony in the Garden
12. The Scourging at the Pillar
13. The Crowning with Thorns
14. The Carrying of the Cross
15. The Crucifixion and Death
16. The Resurrection of Our Lord
17. The Ascension into Heaven
18. The Decent of the Holy Spirit
19. The Assumption of Mary
20. The Coronation of Mary

With the exception of the last two mysteries, Hanegraaff would commend our meditation on all of these. They are a summary of the story of Jesus. Recited prayerfully, they are a mental and spiritual review of the gospel, seen through His mother Mary's eyes. It brings to mind the great events of Christ's ministry. You might call it "spiritual muscle-building," for reciting the Rosary is an ancient spiritual exercise indeed.

I suppose one could argue that the Psalmist should not have repeated the phrase "His love endures forever" 26 times in 26 short verses (Psalm 136). "God already knows His mercy endures forever," one might say. "He doesn't need you to tell Him that 26 times in rapid succession! That's 'vain repetition'!"

But prayer, as Hanegraaff already understands and has taught, is not so much about changing God as it is about changing you, the pray-er.

So go ahead -- get out your "prayer beads" -- because sometimes repetition is the best teacher.