Decisions to Make
Scripture Reading — Exodus 28:15-30; Mark 9:2-13
Put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece. . . . Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions . . . over his heart before the Lord.
As a girl, I had a small book called Precious Rocks and Gems. All of the jewels described on its pages seemed luxurious. The stones in Aaron’s breastpiece of decision remind me of that book. It’s intriguing that God had his people make something out of beautiful earthly objects for Aaron to wear when he went into God’s presence.
Tucked into the breastpiece were also “the Urim and the Thummim.” We don’t know exactly what these were or how they functioned, but they were probably two other stones. And somehow they were used in asking God about his will when decisions had to be made. The Urim and Thummim were a wonderful gift for a time, but they could only be used by the high priest of Israel.
At the transfiguration, Jesus was with his closest disciples when they heard God’s voice: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” The disciples had a dazzling vision of Jesus that day, showing that he is the Son of God. They didn’t understand this event till later, after Jesus rose from the dead, but they remembered what God said: “Listen to him!”
Today we can trust that our ultimate High Priest, Jesus, reveals God’s Word and will to us. Through his Spirit, he is our guide in all our decision making. He is our Rock and Cornerstone, in whom everything finds its place and has meaning. So let’s listen to him!
Lord, we need to know your will each day. Teach us the way of wisdom as we learn to hear and follow your voice. Amen.
About the author — Julia Prins Vanderveen
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