Why would a Christian wear a Prayer Shawl?

A prayer shawl is not prayer, any more than a stove is the food we eat, but it is useful for prayer like a stove is useful to prepare food.

God designed it, and God is a wonderful designer, and God told us how to use it in Num. 15:37-40. God designed it for us when the numbers of believers was to large to fit in the meeting tent. It creates a special meeting place where you can be alone with the Lord.

Numbers 15: 37 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

41 I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:4~7 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called 'Rabbi' by others.

Many of His comments directed against the Jewish religious leaders
of His day were aimed against outward shows of righteousness.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Matthew 23:25-28

Many items were used as idol worship to aid in prayer .which was not the intention. Blue was the color chosen to remind the believers the drawing out of Egypt to signify the last day the day of judgement. Blue is not the color Christians should wear. Gold which represents faith it would be more appropriate.

The ceremonial laws where not in respect to their own flesh anyway. But rather as sign to the world .Don't be blue.

Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: Number 15:38

F.Y.I.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:37-41 The people are ordered by the Lord to make fringes on the borders of their garments. The Jews were distinguished from their neighbours in their dress, as well as in their diet, and thus taught not to be conformed to the way of the heathen in other things. They proclaimed themselves Jews wherever they were, as not ashamed of God and his law. The fringes were not appointed for trimming and adorning their clothes, but to stir up their minds by way of remembrance, 2Pe 3:1. If they were tempted to sin, the fringe would warn them not to break God's commandments. We should use every means of refreshing our memories with the truths and precepts of God's word, to strengthen and quicken our obedience, and arm our minds against temptation. Be holy unto your God; cleansed from sin, and sincerely devoted to his service; and that great reason for all the commandments is again and again repeated, I am the Lord your God.

As I read this, and the Scripture, and other Commentaries...........surprising myself, I am thinking this is simply a way of reminding people to remember WHO they serve, and WHO they are children of.

The Cross does this as well, does it not? How many different visuals are there in the Church that remind us that we serve God, and are His children?

So, while I'm not going to sew fringes on the bottom of my pant legs, I don't see that this is such a terrible thing...........and keeping it in context with it being what God told the Jews AT THAT TIME to do........... God didn't command the Jews to worship idols, OR to do things that suggested idol worship............ just saying

My goodness sakes, I don't see how you can relate something Jesus who is one with the Father gives to help you can be a heavy command. I use a prayer shawl in my morning prayer, it helps me listen and I love it. I haven't found any of following the Lord's guidance heavy, they are a help not a burden.

Wear a prayer shawl if your prayer closet is cold or you are old and get chills easily. Does a prayer shawl add anything to the efficacy of your prayers? Scripture would cause me to doubt the concept.

Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Jesus taught that we were to obey in spirit and truth, not legalistically. Empty obedience is only a burden. I don't see the relationship in the teaching of Jesus and using a prayer shawl so we create our private meeting place with the Lord.

I think that listening to God's advice is like a child listening to a parent's advise, not like listening to a judge laying down law that disobeying means we are put in jail. I think listening to God telling us to put a prayer shawl around us when we pray as a meeting place with only the two of us in it is good advise from my God. And yes, being under this prayer shawl actually does, for me, help me concentrate on the Lord. When I am not actually under the physical shawl of white wool with the tassels, just remembering how it is to be under it helps concentrate on the Lord.

I like that you do that, when I am praying and not just talking to him but going to that still quiet place to be still and know him I often have to escape to somehwere where he and I can be alone so usually it is either in the shower or when I am going to bed. There is just something unique in being alone with him like that

I just like it! The lambswool is so beautiful. I don't use it much & I don't wear it in public.
As far as I'm aware it's a man's garment so it doesn't seem right.

I bought mine a long time ago after the first time I read the Bible from the beginning all the way through.
The reason I liked it then was because Jesus wore one!
I was fascinated by the man and all the things that the Gentile-dominated church didn't highlight about him.
I just love it and the Hebrew writing on the border. Deuteronomy 6:4 - The Shema prayer is on mine.
I like the idea of praying with the word of God across my forehead.
I don't care if some Christians feel judgemental about it. The most innocuous things can provoke a negative reaction here.

Romans 14 is sufficient....

In Romans 14: 3. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him. Same for prayer shawls.

I think the Lord gives us both freedom to choose to accept a prayer shawl as wonderful for prayer, and accept the choice not to use one, but God doesn't accept being critical of each other.

Considering all scripture in totality, (as a man*) I am not inclined to use any material things to compliment prayer.

He will regard the prayer of the destitute (Psalm 102:17).

The prayer of the upright is his delight (Proverbs 15:8).

He hears the prayer of the righteous (Proverbs 15:29).

*However, women are told to use a covering when they pray (1 Corinthians 11:5-6); using nature as an example why this should be so (1 Corinthians 11:14-15).

The prayers that God will not hear are described here:

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment (Isaiah 1:15-16).

N

The new testament ceremonial law 1 Corinthians 11 is represented by male and female as two working as one work to represent the new creature, the bride..

Not a separate law that teaches woman how to pray.


To reveal that wedding supper in .The church is used as a representation of the unseen glory that is coming on the last day .

You are wrong according to scripture.

Great answer.

It would seem you have another idea. .?

Explain why men must not cover their head or hair and as part of the same ordinance that women are to cover their hair?

How is hair used throughout the scripture when speaking of the bride of Christ the church? Do we dismiss that as some sort of fashion design for the time period? What about the other half. Can men cover their hair?

in most cases that ceremonial laws that speaks of the men and woman (mankind) as one representation of the unseen glory.

I think it is wedding invitation to the world.

The scripture has said men do not need to cover their heads.

No further explanation or debate is needed.

Do what ever you want to do.

As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord and his word.