The prefix ‘re‘ means ‘back’ or ‘again’ and is found in many English words (e.g. ‘return‘, meaning to turn back, or ‘rearrange‘, meaning to arrange again.) It’s a reminder that things don’t have to stay the same; circumstances – and people – can be changed.
When we repent, we turn back to God (we are ‘sorry again’ for our sins, as the etymology of the word indicates) and are re-born (John 3). God restores us to the relationship mankind once had of being His children. He refuels and refreshes us each day, recharging us by the power of HIs Spirit, re-filling us when we run dry. He has redeemed us (bought us back) and revived us (given us new life, brought us back from death to life.) He remembers that we are from dust and so we are not consumed. (Ps 103:14)
Eccl 1:9 reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun. We often crave new experiences, but perhaps we need to reacquaint ourselves with this lovely prefix and realise afresh that there is power in the ‘again’ of God.
Young children love to play repetitive games; I remember my son throwing his baseball cap off on the swing and loving it when we put it back on his head, just so that he could throw it off again! Now I have the joy of reading stories to my grandchildren, reaching the end of the book only to hear their ‘again!’ Maybe we need to recapture this spirit, coming to God with our own plea ‘again!’
Revive us, Lord.
Restore us.
Refresh us.
Refuel us.
Reinvigorate us.
Do it again, we pray.
