The Every Day Blue Cord

Be careful who you lend your car.... Go to Church...Drink plenty of water...Go to Church...Do your laundry...Go to Church...Be careful who you party with...Go to church...

When my son was headed off to college, the "momisms" popped up in our daily conversation.  Often these tidbits came at the most random moments.

When I read Deuteronomy 22:1-12, I had the same feel of random advice.  Even the fellow who added the headings in Deuteronomy centuries later felt the disjointedness.  The heading in my translation is the catchy "Various Laws".

I tried to make a short phrase of teaching for each one to see if there was a theme. 

Some of the laws seemed to be simple teaching on agriculture.  Leave some animals to breed for future food (verses 6-7).  Don't plant 2 kinds of seeds, who knows what fruit will grow (verse 9).

Some of the laws tell the Israelites not to make life more complicated than it needs to be.  Avoid trying to look like someone you are not (verses 1-4).  Don't plow with an ox and a donkey (verse 10).  This one makes think of trying to walk in two different height shoes,  really awkward!  Don't weave wool and linen together (verse 11).  This is a classic quilt rule.  Keep your fabric content consistent because different fabrics wash and shrink differently.

The final verse in this section made me think.  Verse 12 simply tells the Israelites to make tassels for the four corners of their garment.  Fortunately the margin in my Bible  cross referenced Numbers 15:37-41.  The use and purpose of tassels is better explained. 

God knows we need tangible reminders.  He instructed them to make tassels with a blue cord to wear on their everyday clothes to remind them of God's commands.  The single blue cord in the tassel was the reminder of God and following His ways.

The tassels with the blue cord was the reminder to remember all the commands and to obey them, to avoid following selfish desires.  The blue cord reminded them not to follow the lust of the heart and eyes and to obey all God's commands.

What tangible reminders do I have in my daily life to remember to follow God's commands? 

My Bible and journal sit in a basket on the end table.  I rarely "put them away."  I want to have them in my field of vision to keep me accountable and without excuse to open them up. 

I  have a little rock on my desk to hold down my phone list.  One side says "Be still..."  and the flip side "Pray..."  I spend quite a bit of my time on the phone and refer to the list several times a day.  I often need the advice of my rock.

I have a Nativity set in my kitchen window year round, it never gets put away.  Christmas may be once a year but the gifts Jesus brought and brings to my life are daily blessings.  The Nativity makes me smile and rejoice whenever my eye lands on it.

God knows we need tangible reminders to follow His way, to follow the Best.  Maybe I need to add a few more in my everyday life.