As I've continued my study through the book of Isaiah, I've learned much and I'm not really sure that I like all of what I've learned. The judgments are pretty tough to read and this evening though was a bit of a "mixed bag" of emotions over something I read in Isaiah 17. According to my New American Standard Bible which is an Inductive Study Bible version, Chapters 13 through 23 of Isaiah are primarily "oracles against various nations". This, I was prepared for.
But what I found tucked in verses 4-17 left me more than a little sad. Verse four starts with these words:
"Now in that day the glory of Jacob will fade"
Why, you may ask?
"For you have forgotten the God of your salvation" (verse 10)
As I continued to read, I could "feel" the sadness come over me. After a few repetitions subconsciously, I realized I was repeating silently, "LORD, may I never forget. LORD, may I never forget." I continued to repeat this a few more times and understood that this was the Holy Spirit...not me...in this moment...grieving for those who have forgotten their God of salvation...grieving for the times when I also forget...and praying for me, because sometimes I don't know how to pray, imploring Him to always help me remember (see Romans 8:26)...to keep the God of my salvation at the forefront of my memory and thus, all that I do and say.
This, in and of itself, was a blessing to experience...but my God is amazing and sometimes He gives me a "two-fer". What's a "two-fer"? That's a two fer one lesson of the day. Okay, so maybe it's not two separate lessons, but rather two different ways to say the same thing. Here's what I mean.
Immediately following this, and upon opening up a new Beth Moore devotional I've started on the life of Paul, I needed only start with the first words to see where this was going:
"Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (see Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Verse four is what in Judaism is known as The Shema. "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One." This is uttered repeatedly throughout prayer services. It's spoken aloud every morning and this passage in Deuteronomy has the key for never forgetting...'bind them to your hand and your forehead'. This is the ancient practice of wearing phylacteries...those little black "boxes" you see Jewish men wearing when they pray. As an extremely devout Jew, Paul would have undoubtedly bound one containing passages from the Torah (as they all did) within the cube and wound the leather straps precisely seven times around his left arm. The other cube was bound in the center of his forehead.
If you read the Deuteronomy passage above, you may recognize the oft-quoted verse seven that reminded the people of Israel to speak the law, the promise, essentially the Torah to their children as they sat, walked, lie down and rose up. In other words, all the time.
The Beth Moore quote that jumped up and smacked me is this: "You see, a thirteen-year-old Hebrew boy could not even get out of bed in the morning without remembering to whom he belonged. As he wound the straps of the phylacteries around his head and arm, he was reminded of his binding relationship to his Creator." As I read this, God's Spirit reminded me that as I pray for and with my children daily, one of my heart's greatest desires is that they would know they are a child of the King and that they are loved beyond measure. But my inconsistency to teach them His Word, is not encouraging their hearts to know these truths and run with them.
I admit it, sometime in this past year, for the sake of saving time, we dropped our Bible reading from our school day ritual and I assigned each of the kids to read their own devotional books. I believe God can use those times of being alone with Him to speak to their hearts. Honestly though, I haven't even been consistent lately about reminding them to read their devotions, nor have I followed up to see if they've completed it. Yes...shame on me. Today, as I sat processing through the grief of those who've forgotten in Whom they find salvation and being myself reminded how to never forget, this is what I sensed being spoken to my heart:
"There is nothing more important in any day that you can teach your children than My Love...My Word...for them."
I speak to the kids often of God's ways. I try, and have noticed it's becoming more frequent and easier, to tie in everything we do to spiritual lessons on faith, love, patience and so much more. I'm reminded today that these are mostly my words. The best words I can share with them are not mine...but His.
So that's my challenge for the days, weeks, months and yes, years ahead. No, I will not make my children start wearing phylacteries...but I will begin again to daily read a portion of Scripture with them. In fact, the timing is perfect as Abbey and I begin Beth Moore's study of James in a few weeks...the book of the Bible that opened my eyes to the plight of the poor and God's command to serve them. What wonderful lessons await our family as the kids and I read through this book in the New Testament together verse by verse? I can't wait to find out. One thing I know...as we read His Story together...we won't forget in Whom we are saved!
Amen!
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