True blessedness

We like to take pride in certain parts of our lives. If we're athletic, we take pride in our athletic accomplishments. If we're professionally successful, we take pride in those successes. If our children are healthy and happy, then we take pride in that.

In Luke 11:27 (KJV), someone tries to brag on Jesus for his family lineage. The person says,

Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

But Jesus responds (verse 28, KJV),

Rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

The message is simple, but very difficult to apply to our lives. Taking pride in earthly matters starts us down a slippery slope of sin. Essentially, the only thing that should matter is obedience toward God. Let us remember those words in verse 28 to focus our prayers.

Prayer before battle

Chapter 20 of Deuteronomy provides various laws for warfare. Verses 2-4 of that chapter describe how, prior to entering battle, the priest is to lead the soldiers in prayer. That prayer reads (Deuteronomy 20:3-4, KJV),

Ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

This prayer applies to all of us, regardless of whether we serve in a military capacity. Every day, we face "enemies," which, since the earliest days of the church, have been viewed as the world, the flesh, and the devil. And those enemies would consume us were it not for God's presence fighting with us.

So as a method for prayer -- especially morning prayer -- read those verses and reflect upon God's saving power.

God preventing our evil actions

The story of Balaam (chapters 22-24 of Numbers) is fascinating on many different levels. But in this post, I'd like to focus on one small piece of that story.

In chapter 22, Balaam is riding his donkey to a place where he'll be able to curse the Israelites. During that journey, an "angel of the LORD" stands in the path of the donkey to prevent its passing. The donkey sees the angel, but Balaam does not. When the donkey stops moving, Balaam become irate and hits the donkey.

Finally, the angel reveals himself to Balaam, and explains why the donkey's path has been blocked (Numbers 22:32, KJV),

I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me.

This passage seems to imply that, although we occasionally sin, and although we pay the consequences for those sins, there are other sins that we never commit, because God prevents us from committing those sins. If not for God standing in our way, we'd be even worse than we are!

Recognizing how deeply ensconced in sin we really are can be depressing! How to respond? Two verses later (Numbers 22:34, KJV), Balaam responds,

I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me.

Subsequent parts of the Bible speak to Balaam's complex legacy. But at least on this one occasion, he appears to confess his sin and humble himself. Let us aim to do likewise.

"Fringes" to help us remember obedience

I occasionally warn that I am not a trained theologian. I hope that what I write here conforms with Biblical doctrine, but I encourage readers to seek independent guidance on these matters.

With that disclaimer aside, Numbers 15:38-39 (KJV) includes God's instructions, delivered via Moses, that the people attach spiritual reminders to their clothes. Those verses read,

Bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments ... And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eye.

Modern translations usually render the word "fringe" as "tassel." The point is that the ancient Israelites used those fringes, always on their clothes, to remain focuses on spiritual matters.

We can do this in modern times as well. Those "fringes" may take many possible forms: crucifix necklaces, prayer beads, and pocket Bibles, just to name a few possibilities. Modern smartphones offer many options, as well, including prayer reminders, spiritually-theme background images, Bible apps, etc.

Now the reason for the aforementioned disclaimer is that some people see such reminders as violating the second commandment's prohibition against "graven images." And maybe they're right, although I think the second commandment's real prohibition is "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them."

So I think such reminders are beneficial, so long as they don't displace God, but rather direct us toward him.

Cleansed of sin

One statute of emphasis in the Mosaic Law is the prohibition on eating blood. Although certainly important from a health standpoint, this rule also served to emphasize the spiritually symbolic importance of blood.

First, sacrificial blood for the atonement of sins is an important element of the annual Hebrew Day of Atonement (known as the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur in modern times). And then Jesus sacrificed the ultimate blood for the permanent removal of all sins. Thus, Christians view the Old Testament Day of Atonement as foreshadowing the eventual crucifixion of Jesus.
 
Mosaic law, in prohibiting the consumption of blood, required those who do consume it to thoroughly cleanse themselves (Leviticus 17:16 (KJV),

If he wash [his clothes] not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

David hits a similar theme (Psalm 51:2, KJV),

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

The Bible contains many such passages that reference "cleansing" of sin. Returning to the subject of blood, we don't literally wash in blood, of course, but we do figuratively wash ourselves in blood -- through faith in Jesus -- to cleanse ourselves of sin. Let us make that a point of emphasis in our prayers today.