“Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined…” (Numbers 15:38-39 NKJV)
All of us face hassles during the hurry and bustle of the day. Today will be no exception. If you don’t face hassles, you will face some of the “et cetera” alluded to in the title above; hurts, headaches, heartaches, heavy battles inside you between your old nature and your new nature. You will be confronting temptations, troubles unexpected, trials, and perhaps even what seems like turns for the worst. I may not have named your unique and upcoming hassle or uncovered the things that falls in your personal et cetera, but today, let’s follow the technique God used above to help His children to live according to His prescribed ways.
Are you game? Will you try this object lesson with me? Great! You don’t have to make an actual tassel to put on your garment, but pick out something that you can carry with you and see all day long. Let it serve, just today okay, as a reminder for you, one of God’s people in these contemporary times, to live according to His principles, pronounced commandments, or putting it in the words above, to His prescribed ways. I have an ancient coin from the first century that I can wear around my neck. Sometimes I feel it serves more of a purpose than wearing a cross to keep me on my spiritual toes. But you can choose anything, as long as you remember why you are carrying it around today. That’s essential. What shall you use? Well, you might just one of the cherished bookmarks stored in your Bible imprinted clearly with a beckoning Scriptural message. Your Bible will not miss it for one day!
Still puzzled? Here are some more ideas. You can use a rock for the same purpose and in addition to prompting you live right, it will push your mind to right thinking about The Rock of our salvation. Put a rubber band around your wrist as a reminder that wherever you go, God is right there with you. If the rubber band is too irritating, take off one of the fifteen bangles on your wrist and pick only one to serve the purpose it is supposed to perform today. Maybe you can wear a ring that you seldom wear; a piece of jewelry for this day that will serve as a reminder that the Lord is continuously present with you. How about a scarf that you will wear all day around your neck, reminding you of how God’s children used to wear phylacteries; small wooden boxes containing portions of Scripture? But remember, this is an object lesson or exercise. You really don’t need a box every day. I am confident that you have hid His word in your heart so you will not sin against God.
Perhaps if you are working from home and casual attire is approved and the style is acceptable for a child of God, wear a blue tee shirt that will remind you to there is no room for the blues. God’s got you! Maybe even shake the wrinkle off the church tee-shirt handing in the back of your closet and wear it to your virtual meeting. Now if you are God-conscious every day, good for you, but try this object lesson today; try this figurative tassel exercise, and see how it makes you stay cognizant of the will of God from your rising up in the morning until your laying down in the evening. Thanks for trying it! See what you think after you are done for the day. And remember your faith is in God, not any object. We are just trying one of the Lord’s old techniques. Yes, I know what you are thinking. We can just look around creation and be reminded. Nevertheless, supplement creation with your chosen object today. Handle the hassles and the et cetera that comes your way. And then, evaluate you own day when you pray at night. Ask the Lord to forgive you if you had a rare failing. Get up renewed, revived, and refreshed. Be blessed!
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night declares knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1-2 MEV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King