At one point in my life I had way too many speeding tickets on my record. I knew that I had to change my ways. So I put a small note on my dashboard that said, “Whoa down, Turbo!” Believe it or not, it worked. Turns out I just needed a little reminder to keep my speed under control.
I guess we all need reminders from time to time because we all tend to be forgetful. It reminds me of how some people tie a string around their finger to help them remember something important.
The idea of reminders has many variations. Some people wear silicone bracelets with messages on them like “Live Strong” or “WWJD” to remind them of a certain way they want to live. Other people write notes on their hands (which doesn’t last as long).
In Numbers 15:37-41, God actually commands the Israelites to do something similar. He instructs them to “make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner” (v. 38).
Why would God tell them to do such a thing? So that every time they looked at the tassels they would “remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after” (v. 39). It was a great way to be constantly reminded everywhere they went.
In other passages of Scripture, God command His people to place other reminders in their paths such as stacks of rocks on the ground (Joshua 4) or excerpts of scripture on their doorposts (Deuteronomy 6:9).
God’s Word is profoundly practical. He knew that we have a tendency to forget His commandments and so He set up a small way to remind us to obey.
Placing reminders in our daily path is still a great idea. Whether its keeping our Bible in a place where we will see it or posting scripture on our bathroom mirror, the idea of keeping reminders in front of us is heaven sent!
In fact, the church has been given two visual reminders in baptism and the Lord’s supper. But the ultimate reminder we have is the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would “bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). Like the tassels, the Holy Spirit goes wherever we go to serve as a constant reminder of God’s Word. But instead of having to stitch the Spirit to the corners of our shirt (like the tassels), the Spirit resides within. That way, we don’t need to tie a string around our finger or leave out a note reminding us to take Him with us!