Our Desperate Need for the Word of God

It has become all too common in our world today to hear well-meaning people say things like, "Look inside yourself" or "Listen to your heart" (and its twin, "Follow your heart").  The implied truth underneath such statements is that everything we need for guidance and governance in life can be found within.  We have no need for anything external to guide and govern our thoughts or our actions.

But the Word of God shatters such illusions, reminding us that our hearts are prone to lead us astray (and therefore should often not be listened to or followed).  We need to look outside ourselves to the Word of God in order to rightly find guidance and governance of our lives.  And sadly, we often need visible reminders to call our attention to the fact that we should not look within but without, to the external Word. 

Hear what the LORD told Moses to tell the Israelites in Numbers 15:37-39 (emphasis mine):

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after."