We all need reminders positioned here and there to keep us on track regarding the purposes and practices of our lives.
I have an 8×10 photo of Lori and myself hanging right by the door in my church office. That way, no matter what lonely, vulnerable counselee walks through the door, I’m reminded that my heart and life are promised to Lori.
And on the wall by my work desk, I have a large, fabric banner that shows an eagle in flight and is embroidered with Isaiah 40:31, reminding me of how my hoping on the Lord allows me to soar above the slop of this world’s woes.
God also directed the Israelites to create readily visible reminders of who they were to serve. In fact, God wanted reminders that the Hebrews couldn’t help but to see throughout the day.
“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.
“Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.’” (Numbers 15:37-41)
You and I don’t have faith tassels on our clothes. But if we did, it would probably help.
At least until we started ignoring them and then started ignoring God’s Word and eventually God’s standards for how we should live.
That’s a very bad sequence, my friend.
We don’t hand out stitchable tassles every week to people attending SouthWinds Christian Church in south Miami where I serve as a pastor.
But we do hand out the Lord’s Supper emblems every week so that attendees can remember the sacrifice made by Christ on the cross and remember the pattern for living to which Christians have been called.
We don’t want people to chase after lusts of the heart and eyes. Instead, we want them to remember and obey the commands of God so that they will be consecrated to Him.
Please observe the Lord’s Supper every week, just as the Christians did in the 1st Century church. They believed that God had called them to attach that weekly form of worship to their faith.
Shouldn’t we?
As always, I love you
Martin
