I become more and more dependent on my smart phone, not just as a phone, but for all the apps that I have installed on there to help me. The calendar app has become quite the popular app, as I depend on reminders I have set to help me keep up with today’s demands. I believe we each have our ways and objects that help us remember things. God noticed that the Israelites were just as bad as we are, and that they forgot very important things very quickly, so He gave them tips on how to best remember His important commands. Hopefully this will help us also!

 

 

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-06-18
WRITTEN AT: Florence, IN

BY: Ed Algreen

 

SCRIPTURE FROM: Numbers 15:37-41
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 

BIBLE TEXT: 37 The Lord told Moses 38 to say to the people of Israel, “Sew tassels onto the bottom edge of your clothes and tie a purple string to each tassel. 39-40 These will remind you that you must obey my laws and teachings. And when you do, you will be dedicated to me and won’t follow your own sinful desires. 41 I am the Lord your God who led you out of Egypt.”

 

APPLICATION: It seems like the older one gets, the more likely they are to forget important tasks, or at least to perform those tasks in a timely fashion. Now, often mankind uses lack of memory as an excuse, because they really don’t want to perform a scheduled task! But it was evident to God that when the Israelites chose to ignore His commands, they often had a personal and preferred way of handling a situation to their own liking, and for their own benefit. Sounds an awful lot like us today, right? If we’re around fellow Christians, or if we are at church, we do a pretty good job of following God’s principles and His commands. But what about in personal situations where it’s only our evil and conniving neighbor who’s messing with our nerves again, or a customer at work whose breath wreaks of alcohol, and they’re using us as their target to vent and/or relieve stress? Are we usually able to respond kindly and calmly, as if God was standing before us? I know, you’re not one to take trash from a drunk, or anyone else who tries to test your nerves, so you are quick to respond hard at your first opportunity! But what if that was someone that God referred to you as a representative of His? You told the church (and God) that you had changed your evil ways and that you were determined to follow Christ, but are you doing that consistently and even in tough situations? God gave the Israelites a reminder so that they might always follow His commands and His example. What might be our reminder? As a child, our daughter watched Barney so many times that one day she was able to recite the whole alphabet to me! We study the handbook from the Department of Transport so many times that we could easily answer all the questions on our Drivers License test. Doesn’t it make sense that if we spend time in God’s Word daily, we will learn His commands, be reminded of His commands, make His commands a part of our daily life, and then live out what resides inside of us? Friends, unless we do this, we will follow our own evil, selfish desires that displays anything but God’s love, mercy and hope for eternal life. The reminder that God sets for us might be different to the one He set for the Israelites. The reminder He sets for you might be different to the one He sets for me. Regardless of the reminder set for us, I believe it would behoove us to determine in our own heart to serve the Lord with gladness, and seek to obey His commands so that our neighbor will not just see our lousy efforts, but they will see Jesus shining through in every good work and every encouraging word, God being our helper.

 

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The more we follow God’s commands, the less likely we are to follow our own selfish desires. Peace comes from being obedient to God’s commands and allowing Him to work in and through us!

 

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, way too often we create a nightmare by following our own selfish desires and the devices of man. Please help us to be reminded of Your commands each day as we fill our minds with Your Word. Please begin a great work in me, and in the lives of my readers/listeners, so that we might live in peace with our fellow man. Showing mankind our loving and all-knowing God is far more important than anything else. Please be very real in our lives and allow us to represent You well to all that we come into contact with. Thank You Lord Jesus, be glorified in us today! AMEN!

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