One of the things I think about often is how to make sense of God's relationship with Israel. (I know, you're totally intrigued after reading that sentence. I think it gets better.)
I'm not a Bible scholar. I'm sure scholars have many answers as to why super weird laws were mandated and why God spoke directly to Israelites but not to us. I honestly get really discouraged by the notion that I have to be extremely cultured and have a Ph. D. in Old Testament before I can fully accept the Bible. This pressure has come from outside the church and from within. It may be a great way to get some answers, but it isn't entirely practical. I don't want to be a Bible scholar. And I can't know everything about the ancient Jewish culture. I’m a biologist. I don't think God requires me to be a Bible scholar either. I kind of think he wants me to be a biologist.
This is why I have faith that I can find some answers pursuing my dreams as a scientist, physician assistant and average Bible-reader. And because I have found some answers this way.
Something I have found helpful (and equally confusing) is taking Israeli/Jewish culture into context when reading the Bible. It has really added depth and beautiful meaning behind things in the scriptures that have totally blown my mind. Although not a perfect example, something I learned about Psalm 22 comes to mind.
A friend of mine, whose knowledge and pursuit of the Lord I admire, told me that a custom among Jewish Rabbis was to quote the first couple of lines of a psalm or important passage from scripture to remind the people of the words or to drive home a point. Because Jews knew and memorized so much of the Torah, it was generally assumed they would remember the rest of the passage. He told me that when Jesus cries out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?," he was doing just that. The Jews present at Jesus' crucifixion would have immediately recognized those words, and the remaining lines of Psalm 22 would have rang in their heads as a fulfilled prophecy of the pain of Jesus. I will never read the crucifixion of Jesus the same. And now every time I read some of Jesus' words that seem slightly out of place, I check my study Bible notes and Google his words to see what people are saying about them.
It's an important realization the American Chloe can easily miss the inherent cultural value behind much of the Christian narrative. But it still doesn't answer everything. Especially some really hard questions. And that's when life itself, and mere truth about my nature as a human, can dump answers in my lap. Not all of the answers, but some really good ones.
Why did the Israelites have so many stipulations from God regarding their dress and way of life? They are told to wear Tefillin, binding the law of the Lord to their arm and forehead. They are told not to cut the hair on the sides of their head and not to get tattoos. All of these things were commanded of them to remind them that they are God's people. It set them apart. Reminders of their covenant with God were intertwined into everything they did.
Man, oh man, does God know us better than we do. It doesn't take long as a Christian to realize how easy it is to slip into a stagnant relationship/covenant with God. I try my best to make it easier and to stay on track. So what do I do to make it easier? To put the thought at the forefront of my mind?
I thought about all the things I've implemented in my life that serve as important reminders for me. I have a wedding ring on my finger. It reminds me of the love and companionship I have in Tommy. It's a reminder for him too. I have a second ear piercing in both ears that I got my senior year of high school. It reminds me of my pledge to missions after a life-changing mission trip to Dominican Republic. Though I don't wear earrings in them anymore, I see them every time I put earrings in for the day. Tommy wears one of my hair ties on his wrist. It serves as his personal reminder of me throughout the day. Every morning I drink a cup of coffee. I do it because I enjoy it, and it's my own personal reminder to slow down and take a minute to enjoy the coming day. In the middle of the morning, my Bible app sends me a notification of the "verse of the day": a practical reminder for a Christian. These are very basic, but people have gone to bigger measures to put reminders in their life. For me, some of the more humbling reminders are the powerful stories behind tattoos. Because of some of the reasons people have told me that they acquire tattoos, I don't see them as frivolous and ridiculous like I used to. Some people have genuine, convicting reasons behind their tattoos that I think justifies them (regardless of how they will look in thirty years). Taking measures, even drastic ones, to remind yourself of something is not as uncommon as you think. It's pretty human, actually. Consider living your life practicing justice and grace as a constant reminder of a terrible injustice you committed in your past and your opportunity for a second chance. (What is a Christian life anyway but living for Jesus who died with your sin?)
God didn't mandate any material things of me when I became a Christian. But here I've gone and put all of these things in my life that serve the same purposes of the Jewish law. And I did it voluntarily! I'm sure a first-century Jew would read all of my reminders as silly, or as something he just doesn't fully understand. But that's OK. He has his reminders and I have mine. We aren't so different after all.
