Tzitzit

 I don’t know how many times I read this verse without really paying attention to it but recently it caught my eye. “The LORD said to Moses,”Speak to the people of Israel, and tell 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. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and 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. So that you shall remember to do all my commandments, and to be holy to your God.”(Numbers 15:37-40)

This tassel is known as a tzitzit. It was a physical reminder to Israelites, of who they were, who God was, and what He required of them. They were to wear these tassels on the corners of their garments so that wherever they went they would be reminded to be set apart, to be holy to their God. It reminds me of something Steve and I would tell our children when they left home, “Remember who you are, to whom you belong, and who you represent.”

I’m on chapter 31 of 2 Chronicles and I’m finding a lot of evidence that although they may have been wearing the tassel they struggled to not follow their own heart and their own eyes. I remember when I was a teenager and I saw a chart of the ups and downs of Israel obeying God that I was discussed. I couldn’t understand what was wrong with them. I’m older now and I understand.

When I was young I believed that I could follow all God’s commandments. I really didn’t believe that I needed a savior. I believed that if I were given enough time that I could be perfect. Life has taught me a different lesson. I think that’s why I was fascinated when I read Malachi 4:2 “But you who fear my name, the Son of Righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” The tassel was to be placed on each corner of the garment. In Hebrew the word corner is also referred to as fringes or wings.

In the Luke 8, there’s a beautiful picture of the Son of Righteousness who had healing in his wings. A woman who had been bleeding for twelve years and was considered ceremonially unclean according to Jewish law was cured by touching the fringe of Jesus garment. She had done everything she could to be healed. She had suffered much at the hands of the physicians. This is such a picture of what it means to have a savior. After he healed her he called her daughter.

Jesus, thank you for giving me this picture of a tangible reminder of an intangible truth, that I too can find healing in your wings.