Numbers 6:6-12: a reflection

6“‘All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall not go near a dead body. 7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. 8All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD. 9“‘If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it. 10On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting. 11The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day. 12He shall separate to the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

The Nazirite, one specially set apart to the LORD, was to avoid defilement; but the law made provision for a case that was no fault of his own. If someone died suddenly beside him, defiling him through no choice of his, the Nazirite's vow was interrupted; the former days were void. Yet the law did not leave him without recourse; he could be cleansed, make atonement, and begin the days of his separation again. Even when his consecration was defiled through an unintended setback, no fault of his own, God provided a way for him to be cleansed and start over, to begin his vow again.

Notice the provision for starting over after an unintended setback. The Nazirite's defilement in this case was not his own doing; a sudden death beside him interrupted his consecration through no fault of his. The setback was real, the former days void; yet God did not leave him without a way forward. He could be cleansed, make atonement, and begin again. God provided for a fresh start even after a setback that was not the person's fault, a way to be cleansed and resume the consecration. The unintended defilement did not end the vow permanently; there was a way to be cleansed and start over, to begin the days again. God's provision included a fresh start after the setback.

That is worth taking to heart, for God provides a way to be cleansed and start over, even after setbacks that are not our fault. Setbacks come, sometimes through no fault of our own, interrupting what we were pursuing, defiling or disrupting what we had consecrated; and we can feel the setback has ruined everything permanently. But God provided for the Nazirite a way to be cleansed and begin again after an unintended setback. God gives fresh starts, even after setbacks not our fault. When a setback disrupts what you were pursuing, even through no fault of your own, do not think it has ruined everything permanently; God provides a way to be cleansed and begin again. Trust that God provides a way to be cleansed and start over even after setbacks that are not your fault, as he gave the Nazirite a way to begin his vow again after an unintended defilement; for a setback, even one not of our own making, need not be the end, and God gives fresh starts to those who turn to him to begin again.

Lord, the Nazirite, one specially set apart to you, was to avoid defilement; but the law made provision for a case that was no fault of his own. If someone died suddenly beside him, defiling him through no choice of his, the Nazirite's vow was interrupted; the former days were void. Yet the law did not leave him without recourse; he could be cleansed, make atonement, and begin the days of his separation again. Even when his consecration was defiled through an unintended setback, no fault of his own, you provided a way for him to be cleansed and start over. Show me the provision for starting over after an unintended setback. The Nazirite's defilement in this case was not his own doing; a sudden death beside him interrupted his consecration through no fault of his. The setback was real, the former days void; yet you did not leave him without a way forward. He could be cleansed, make atonement, and begin again. You provided for a fresh start even after a setback that was not the person's fault. The unintended defilement did not end the vow permanently. Take that to my heart, for you provide a way to be cleansed and start over, even after setbacks that are not my fault. Setbacks come, sometimes through no fault of my own, interrupting what I was pursuing; and I can feel the setback has ruined everything permanently. But you provided for the Nazirite a way to begin again. When a setback disrupts what I was pursuing, even through no fault of my own, keep me from thinking it has ruined everything permanently; you provide a way to be cleansed and begin again, Lord. Help me trust that you give fresh starts even after setbacks that are not my fault.