Modern Mezuzah

“You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:9)

Through Moses God instructed His people to physically and spiritually keep certain of His words before them. Their visual presence on their doorpost was a reminder of the truths they embodied. The encasement with the text inside it is called a mezuzah.

I have three primary visuals in our garage which I see every time I am there.

One is a carving on a lovely single piece of wood about 14 inches by 30 inches. It reads: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” It often prompts me to ask myself, “If that is true, how strong am I?”

A second is a large 12 inch by 21 inch yellow smiling faces such as was once very popular. Numbers 6: 24, 25 states:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; 
The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” 
The expression “make His face shine” means to reveal His will to you.
The expression “lift up His countenance” means to smile.

Combined they mean may your response to God’s will give Him occasion to be pleased, and smile. Though the smiley face isn’t directly related to the text it is for me a visual not only regarding my countenance, but as an encouragement to live in such a way as to please the Lord.

The third is a smaller placard that speaks of my importance. It reads:
“We are not loved by God because we are important, 
but we are important because we are loved by God.” 

In summary, all ego abandons you who enter here. 

Hopefully this doesn’t sound sacrilegious, but for me those three objects serve like modern mezuzahs, reminders. They serve as reminders that my countenance and my conduct are to be in concert with those visuals. 

The full text given by Moses on behalf of God reads: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”  (Deuteronomy 6: 4 – 9)

If you don’t have spiritual visuals, consider establishing some today.