“You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself” (Deuteronomy 22:12 ESV).
God commanded the Israelites to wear tassels on their garments as a visual reminder of His commandments and their covenant relationship with Him (Num. 15:38-40). These tassels symbolized holiness, obedience, and God’s authority.
I was reading the blog of a Messianic Jew recently, who said that each tassel was to have blue thread, wrapped in accordance with the name of “Yahweh”, which is spelled with the four letters “YHWH” in Hebrew. So, the “Y,” or Hebrew “Yod,” would have the number of wraps corresponding to its number in the Hebrew alphabet, and so on for each following letter.
Centuries later, a woman suffering from a chronic illness reached out in faith to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, which likely bore these tassels. Matthew’s gospel reports that “She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.’” (Matt. 9:21). She believed that touching even the hem of His garment would bring healing. Jesus affirmed her faith and immediately made her whole.
Like the woman, we can come to Jesus for healing and restoration. Her story reminds us that true healing comes through faith in Christ’s power, not mere ritual. It wasn’t touching the tassels that healed her. It was her faith in the one who wore the garment. For the tassels on His garment pointed to God’s law and the law cannot save, but Jesus fulfilled the law and brought eternal life to those who believe in Him.
Is there an area in your life where you need to reach out in faith, trusting Jesus to heal and restore? Today, we can come boldly and reach out to Him, knowing that His power is sufficient to meet our every need.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we give You thanks today that Jesus fulfilled the law and died in our place that we might have access to You by grace alone. We reach out by faith to touch and take hold of this grace. Strengthen us to do Your will today. In Jesus’ name, amen.