Our Invisible Yarmulke

by Heather Tietz

Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

From an early age many boys in Israel are encouraged to wear a head covering called a yarmulke or a skull cap. The word yarmulke comes from the Yiddish phrase meaning “in awe of the LORD.” It is worn as a reminder that God has the ultimate authority over them.

We too are under God’s authority. If we are Jesus’ disciple, seeking His path wherever we walk, God is with us, preventing, guarding, guiding, and permitting the circumstances of our lives. If we stroll into a briar bush or rip down a bee hive, if we have left the laws of life, the path of love that Jesus’ tread, God will still be there. We can’t take off our invisible yarmulke. We can forget. We can pretend God isn’t the ultimate authority, but He still is.

God is with us wherever we go. Psalm 137:8 says that if we go to the heavens He is there, and if we make our bed in the depths He is still with us. Leaving His ways invites stings and scratches into our lives. Yes, God can heal them. He can fix what we’ve damaged, but why wander off the path. You may end up in a forty year trek through the desert! Remember your invisible yarmulke. Stay in awe of our Lord.