When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”
Hebrews 9:19,20
It’s that time of year again. Tax season. That blessed time when we get to gather together all the paperwork and forms so we can figure out what exactly happened last year. And the big payoff is when we either have to give the government more money or they have to give some back.
Now I know that I’m not a normal guy, no surprise or revelation there. But I sort of look forward to tax season. Now, before you call the police to have me taken in for observation, let me explain.
To get ready to fill out all those forms, I have to pull out all the receipts for the year. I also need to get the reports and forms that have been sent that tell us what happened. It takes a while, but I sort all that information into piles on the dining room table. It’s the only table we own that’s big enough.
I put all the information about technology purchases and costs into one pile. All the papers about contributions go in another. All the reports from our investment and accounts go in another. And so forth. Once I have all the piles, I then sort them by date and put a clip on them to hold all the papers together.
Now that the information is organized, I can start the scary part – filling out the forms. Writing all those numbers onto forms that I have almost no idea of what they mean. I look at what I did last year and assume that I’m doing the right thing. After all, no one came and arrested me for what I did last year, so I just suppose that I’m OK for this year. Or at least that’s what I hope.
As I go through all the receipts and papers, a funny and unexpected thing happens. I’m taken on a walk through memory lane. I’m reminded of all that we went through. All the stuff we did. All the things that happened to us. All the ways that God walked with us throughout the year.
But more than just looking backward to how God’s taken care of us in the past, it gives me hope and assurance that God’s going to keep doing that this year. And the year after that. And the one after that. That no matter what happens, the God who made us is never going to turn his head from us. He’s never going to walk away from us.
The Hebrews needed reminding of this because of all the pain and suffering that they were going through. Persecution was pulling them apart at the seams. It was tearing their lives and families, shredding any peace they had into tiny pieces that were easily blown away by the wind.
The writer uses this memory from their past to remind the Hebrews about God’s presence with them and his promise to them. Sprinkling is a sign that God’s always looking down on them. Always covering them. And it’s no mistake or accident that Moses sprinkles these two things.
The scroll. God’s words are so important that he wants to show this to everyone. Sprinkling the scroll sets it apart from every other scroll. All other written words are not nearly as important as God’s words.
The people. Not just some people, but all the people. Not just the priests or the rich, but all the people. Not just those with power and prominence, but all the people.
These are the two things that last forever. God’s word and people They both will go into eternity. This physical universe is going to end, but God’s word will remain forever[1]. And people, made in God’s image, will also live forever.
We all need to hear this again and again. Our two top priorities need to be our relationship with God and people. His word must be at the thing that guides us more than anything else. It doesn’t matter what’s popular, we need to keep our hearts and heads focused on these two things.
So, how are we doing with keeping these two things at the top of our lives? What are the things that sometimes move them down the list of things we’re doing? Things we’re committed to keep focused on. Not out of some kind of guilt or to impress God with, but out of a loving response to who he is and all he’s done.
The sprinkling was a reminder from God. And we need to keep reminding ourselves about this too. I may not sprinkle my Bible and myself, but I’ve got my own special reminders about keeping my relationship with God through Jesus right at the tip top of my priorities. What are your reminders that you’ve put into the fabric of your life to draw you back to God and people? If you don’t have any, or if you’ve stopped doing them, I’m here to encourage you to get back in the game and start today. God’s always remembering us. Loving us. Providing for us. It’s time to respond to him and begin again. Begin afresh. Restart the remembering.
Noodling Questions
List three reasons that most people not like tax season.
Why are we so quick to turn away from the things that last?
How can we use the rain to remember God’s kindness and gifts to us?
[1] Matthew 24:35
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