Write Your Laws in my Heart

Matthew 23:5-7

"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi'."

This picture is from Redeemer of Israel blogspot.com. Please see my disclaimer below.

Lord, I want my worship of you to be a sincere outward reflection of the change you are accomplishing inside me. I want to worship you in spirit and in truth.

John 4:24

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

I don't want to be prideful or hypocritical.

Lord, you told the Israelites to bind your word to their foreheads and hands. You told them to put tassels on their clothing. The purpose of both these commands was so that they would be reminded to do what you said.

Numbers 15:37-11

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the LORD instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do. The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God. I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt that I might be your God. I am the LORD your God!"

Now we have the Holy Spirit to remind us to obey you, although it doesn't hurt for us to display scripture around our homes to help us remember.

Holy Spirit, please show me when I am being a hypocrite or being prideful. Remind me to follow God's ways in all I do.

Hebrews 10:16

"This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."

Lord, please put your laws in my heart, and write them on my mind. Indeed, by memorizing scripture, I am allowing you to do just that. Help me to think about your word throughout my day. You know how prone I am to follow my own desires and defile myself. Please tap me on the shoulder and catch my attention before I do this. I want to stay pure in my thoughts and actions. In Jesus' name, amen.

In my research for this post I found this blog post by Daniel Smith: Redeemer of Israel. I must give the disclaimer that Daniel is a Mormon. I am in no way advocating the Mormon faith. However, he does give a great explanation of the prayer boxes and tassels that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 23:5-7

This Week's Memory Verses

Jeremiah 17:5

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts from the LORD."

Hosea 6:6

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.