Numbers 15: Remember the Commands of the Lord

³⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁸ “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. ³⁹ 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. ⁴⁰ Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. ⁴¹ 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

God is big on remembering. He has a perfect memory, but knows we do not. The law of Moses included a wide variety of practices to encourage the Israelites to remember God’s commands. These included holidays, clothing, incense, food, and even tassels on garments.

The careful reader of the Old Testament realizes the reason for God’s focus on remembering. It was when God’s people forgot the Lord their God that they sinned and worshiped other gods. From the golden calf in the wilderness to the gods of the surrounding nations, the culture around them focused on gods that could be created, marketed, and controlled. With God, the control was taken from human hands and placed in his. While the people of Israel obeyed at times, it was not without many failings and a constant focus for them to remember.

Rather than learning some new discovery about God today, maybe we would do better to remember something God has already taught us. Whether the moment we first came to experience his love, a major answer in life, or a miracle he has performed, take a moment to remember. It is then that we truly honor the commands of the Lord.

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Dillon Burroughs is the author and coauthor of numerous books and is handwriting a copy of all 31,173 verses of the Bible at HolyWritProject.com. Find out more about Dillon at Facebook.com/readdB or readdB.com.