Embedded Systems in the Word of God: Resets, Reminders & Alarm Clocks

Read Time: 14 Minutes

The world wants to sell you productivity systems. The next productivity or life hack always seems to come from someone who had their own revelation or “ah ha” moment, and it might even come with a flashy title and book deal.

NEWS FLASH — God has given us systems free of charge, embedded in the very nature of creation. And while we constantly reach for self help literature and gurus, all we need is all around us and grounded in His Word – thee manual for our lives.

And while we all search for the “quick fix,” things that are too easy and go against our nature only act as bandaid solutions (and sometimes cause more problems than they fix).

God’s solutions are eternity-pointing and they are not complex solutions or abstract systems either. They are the sunrises we may or may not notice each day. They are the sabbaths, we may fail to observe, the annual festivals commanded in Leviticus for all generations…you get the point. Although there is unlimited depth and wisdom within these systems, they are simple, straightforward and right in front of us. He who has eyes let him see.

Then there are also the more subtle. God setup a system of alarm clocks using shofar or trumpets. He instructed us to make fringes on our garments with blue thread. For all of the antique shades we tend to cast on the OT, it is really the OG or Original Good of self help and personal development. It is the tried and true. And it is far simpler than any rule or trick you will read in a book. He who has ears let him hear.

As an added bonus, incorporating these systems and processes do not require any advanced knowledge or understanding, perhaps only a little wisdom and fear of the Lord. There is endless scientific literature that support the notion that environment trumps will power, and would you know…these are all environmental-type underpinnings which support productivity!

To be clear – I am not advocating against any particular self help literature, because there are good ones out there that showcase godly messages and their applications. However, it is important to rely on God’s word as the foundation and cornerstone of the matter, not the other way around. Science is one of God’s love languages, a way that He can share profound wisdom about His creation.

We will cover a few of these scientific findings in this post. Bear with me until the end and I promise you will see the light…sorry couldn’t help myself!

The Daily Cycle – “Morning Reset”

This one should be obvious. And it might be to some. But as with everything there are levels to this. Before we begin, ask yourself a few questions. And be honest with yourself. That is the only way to drive true awareness and change.

Do you tend to rush into the day without a second thought?

Do you take stock of the day before it begins?

Do you really take the time to thank your Creator?

Do you recognize each day as an opportunity for receiving Gods mercy, blessings and joy?

Do you notice or even awake before the sunrise?

I’m not asking these questions in jest. And I’m speaking to myself as much as every one of you. We tend to blow past opportunities that God has seemingly made abundantly clear. It’s as if He is driving by in a big old semi, high beams on, blowing His horn, and we are stuck buried in our phones…Thank God He is a God of mercy and second chances! 🙂

“Sing praise to Adonai, His faithful ones, and praise His holy name. For His anger lasts for only a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭TLV‬‬

Quick bonus and side note: all of these questions can actually be applied to evening as well. So technically we are given (at least) two chances per day for a reset! How cool is that?!

“Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until the evening. Whoever carries them is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭15‬:‭10‬ ‭TLV‬‬

Yeshua (Jesus) is the king of second chances and there is even a second opportunity to celebrate Passover for those that are not in a state of purity to celebrate it.

““Say to Bnei-Yisrael saying: If any man, whether you or your descendants, becomes unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a long journey, he may yet observe Adonai’s Passover.”

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬ ‭TLV‬‬

The juxtaposition of the two aforementioned scriptures is no accident here. I told you there were levels to this! Again, he who has ears let him hear…

This should come as no surprise, but science has provided regular confirmation of our innate biological response to this godly cycle. The first and most well known is the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), which is intertwined with our brains “internal clock” based on light hitting the eye. This contributes to a spike in cortisol around 30-45 minutes after waking. Cortisol, for those unaware, is our body’s natural hormone responsible for stress and energy management. The biomechanics underlying this response are impressive in and of themselves, so for now, let’s just leave it here.

P.S. God must have been driving a CAR, not a Semi Truck like we thought earlier… 😉

The Weekly Cycle – “Master Reset”

“So the heavens and the earth were completed along with their entire array. God completed—on the seventh day—His work that He made, and He ceased—on the seventh day—from all His work that He made. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work that God created for the purpose of preparing.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭TLV‬‬

Funny story here…I have read this verse probably hundreds of times. And I know of course that God made it holy, because we read about this in many other passages. But one thing I never caught until now, as simple as it seems, is that God blessed the seventh day! You might say of course He did… But even if you recognized that, can you begin to understand the full magnitude of that blessing?

It does not say that God blessed any other days for one. Secondly, although he specifically appointed and implicitly sanctified other days (we will get to that next), the only day He outright blessed was Shabbat or the Seventh Day. In effect, God put a special and one-time blessing on a day for all eternity. And it is the first of the festivals mentioned in the Bible and in Leviticus 23. God is all His power, awesome wisdom and glory granted favor and grace over this day for us to use for His purpose.

And what exactly was His purpose for this day? Glad you asked.

God carved into creation a space and time for us to rest, recover and ultimately experience the glory of God and all His creation. We are told specifically not to do any ordinary work not for God’s benefit but for our own. This is one type of rest. But we are also told to call the Sabbath or Shabbat a delight! This means we are to enjoy our rest and the sanctification of the day. This may mean having a nice meal (oneg), a nice glass of wine, spending time with friends, relatives and those at our congregation or synagogue. It may also mean family time. These are all things that God intended for good – to serve the purpose of rest. It does not necessarily mean you sleep all day, but that you pause out of our hectic life, and reset, recharge, reflect and re-engage with God and His creation.

“Then He said to them, “Shabbat was made for man, and not man for Shabbat. So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭TLV‬‬

“If you turn back your foot from Shabbat, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call Shabbat a delight, the holy day of Adonai honorable, If you honor it, not going your own ways, not seeking your own pleasure, nor speaking your usual speech, then You will delight yourself in Adonai, and I will let you ride over the heights of the earth, I will feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭TLV‬‬

As you read above, this is not to say that on Shabbat you do whatever you want. For if we “did whatever” on resets, they would not truly be resets would they? This is because resets are intentional. We set the frame of a reset going in. We lay out the reasons for and expectations of change or output. We create boundaries around it. God lays specifically guidelines not to be perceived as weights or requirements, but as keys and passages to unlock and discover the glory and blessings of the Sabbath!

Abraham Joshua Heschel in his book The Sabbath says it far more eloquently and profoundly than I ever could imagine:

“Shabbat comes with its own holiness; we enter not simply a day, but an atmosphere. My father cites the Zohar: the Sabbath is the name of God. We are within the Sabbath rather than the Sabbath being within us. For my father, the question is how to perceive that holiness: not how much to observe, but how to observe. Strict adherence to the laws regulating Sabbath observance doesn’t suffice; the goal is creating the Sabbath as a foretaste of paradise. The Sabbath is a metaphor for paradise and a testimony to God’s presence; in our prayers, we anticipate a messianic era that will be a Sabbath, and each Shabbat prepares us for that experience: “Unless one learns how to relish the taste of Sabbath … one will be unable to enjoy the taste of eternity in the world to come.” It was on the seventh day that God gave the world a soul, and “the world’s survival depends upon the holiness of the seventh day.” The task, he writes, becomes how to convert time into eternity, how to fill our time with spirit: “Six days a week we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth; on the Sabbath we especially care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul. The world has our hands, but our soul belongs to Someone Else.“

Finally, science also agrees and supports with this overall notion of rest and recovery. In fact, when I had Claude, the AI tool, build a workout plan for my next six months of weight loss, it created an entire section about rest and recovery!

And here’s where things get even more cool…

You may have heard about geographic regions called “Blue Zones.” In case you have not, it was part of an initiative funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging, whereby scientists spent years traveling around the world in search of ‘geo pockets’ where people lived longer lives. What they found was that in those regions, not only did they live longer, but they were happier and healthier, with fewer chronic diseases. One of these Blue Zones is in Loma Linda, California – home to a large group of Sabbath keepers called Seventh-Day Adventist. This group lived four to ten years longer than the average Californian! That is nearly 20% above the mean and certainly statistically significant!

Let that sink in for a second…God commanded a weekly reset (for our benefit) thousands of years before anyone had the research money to quote on quote “discover” it.

And it’s not just about lifespan either. A 2014 study out of Loma Linda University found that the Sabbath observers demonstrated better mental health overall. There are similar studies, some of which are included in the sources section below, which further show the same demonstrable effects in Sabbath-keeping Orthodox Jews and even in secularists who practiced similar “Sabbath keeping behavior,” albeit focused on digital device adherence or the like.

When we “unplug” from the noise of the week, we can tune more into the godly signal that God intended when HE BLESSED THE DAY! We like to take credit for things like “the weekend,” but perhaps we need to remember the original, almighty physician that prescribed this break in the first place!!

THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY!

Now queue the Shabbat music playlist on Spotify…

The Annual Cycle – “Spiritual Appointments”

In our Western world, we tend to think of holidays (derived from “holy days”) like that of a ‘Bank Holiday.’ In other words, we think of them as a day off from work, feet up, beer (or wine) in hand. I’m being facetious of course, but it is far different in the Eastern world.

Nevertheless, the Hebrew word in the Bible moed (מוֹעֵד) doesn’t actually mean “holiday.” The closest literal translation is appointment or appointed meeting. In fact, the tent, so commonly referenced throughout the journeys of the Hebrews through the desert, was actually called the ohel moed or Tent of Meeting or quite literally, Tent for Appointments!

Moreover, the role of high priest went far beyond the role of priest today. It extended into areas of health and law. People would bring their life questions to Moses and/or the priests. And where would they meet them you ask? The Tent of Appointments of course!

So if this was the physical space for appointments, and God modeled the spiritual space in a similar manner, as an example. He set apart (or made holy) specific days on the calendar for these spiritual appointments, creating a time and space for meeting with Him.

These are similar to the appointments we have on our calendar related to work, our children, going to the doctor, dentist, ophthalmologist…you name it. They not only serve as reminders, but they are reservations for our time, attention and duty.

Taking this one step further, each of these appointments call for different duties in different aspects of our spiritual life. And most importantly, they all fit within the overall Redemption Story that God established from the beginning of time!

Necessarily, we must take the time to not only examine ourselves during these appointments, but also examine how they fit into the overarching fabric of God’s plan and vision for us as ONE house and ONE bride. These appointments weave together a picture perfect example of God’s love and the natural underpinnings of His creation, which all serve His purpose and divine prescription for humanity.

There are several different scientific studies related to spiritual appointments. One study points to the benefits of communal ritual on anxiety and meaning. In other words, communing with others regularly contributes to group identity, purpose and harmony. Well…that seems like a “no brainer.” Even better, there is a fancy name for this called collective effervescence…love it.

An equally common sensical study supports that there are psychological benefits in temporal landmarks – both for behavioral change and goal achievement. Effectively, we see these landmarks as “fresh starts” or milestones by which to create a due date for some goal. Think of it like the end of the year, end of a quarter or end of a month. These are really the same as other dates in most cases, but seem to create profound effects when it comes to action and urgency.

I’ve referenced these studies in the sources below, and I always encourage you to go deeper. But if on the surface these seem obvious, why is it more difficult sometimes to see the immense value in Gods temporal markers…take a second to let that sink in…

The Alarm Clock – The Shofar

BEEP. BEEP. BEEEEEP….WAKE UP!

Ok maybe your alarm clock is more peaceful…

Regardless of what you use, did you know that God installed trumpets or shofars as part of the system of alarms or alerts?

Depending on the type of blasts, these trumpets would be used to assemble, move, or call the people to arms. They were and still are a call to action.

One of the spiritual appointments discussed above is actually a Day of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), where one of the only commands is to blow the shofar…wonder what that could possibly mean…

I don’t think we need science to confirm the utility of alarms. But instead let’s think of two scenarios.

Scenario A, your alarm goes off and you immediately jump out of bed to start your day.

Scenario B, your alarm goes off and you press snooze. It goes off again, and again, and again. Still you snooze or maybe ignore it altogether.

It goes without saying that Scenario A is where the alarm serves its purpose. It propels us to action, and normally we are better off after acting…just saying.

In fact, it is generally known and accepted (i.e. common sense) that we would have been better off not setting the alarm because then our extended sleep would not have been interrupted!

So why do we tend to act so counterproductively?

It’s part of our nature and God knows it. This is why there are so many alarms, resets and reminders embedded in His righteous word.

God is good and His systems are good. When we hear the Shofars trump, we must act. For those that fail to act are like the virgins who did not make it to the wedding feast.

““Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish ones took their lamps, they took no oil with them. But the wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps. “Now while the bridegroom was taking a long time, they all got drowsy and started falling asleep. But in the middle of the night there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. Now the foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, since our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were going off to buy, the bridegroom came. And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Now later, the other virgins came, saying, ‘Sir, Sir, open up for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Amen, I tell you, I do not know you.’ Therefore stay alert, for you know neither the day nor the hour.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭TLV‬‬

The Visual Reminders – The Tzitzit

Last but certainly not least, we also have visual cues or reminders embedded in the word of God.

One of these visual cues and perhaps one of the most underrated are tzitzit or fringes, which God commands us to wear upon our garments.

“Adonai spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael. Say to them that they are to make for themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and they are to put a blue cord on each tzitzit. It will be your own tzitzit—so whenever you look at them, you will remember all the mitzvot of Adonai and do them and not go spying out after your own hearts and your own eyes, prostituting yourselves. This way you will remember and obey all My mitzvot and you will be holy to your God. I am Adonai your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am Adonai your God.””

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭15‬:‭37‬-‭41‬ ‭TLV‬‬

These fringes are profoundly personal but universal at the same time. It is a godly paradox that we wear these for ourselves and God, but at the same time they are a distinctive mark upon those that wear them, a sign to the world. It makes us unique and united at the same time.

There are four tzitzit (3+1). This is no coincidence.

The location and number are highly intentional. The four corners represent the four directions of the earth. For each way we turn we will see them and be reminded.

Four is also the number of earthly materials or elements – air, water, fire and earth. So they are innately physical and spiritual at the same time. They ground us but reminds us what is above and higher than us.

There are also four gospels. And what do the gospels speak of…

We must explain in the same way this commandment to others. We do it because we love God, but it also helps us to remember and ACT in obedience to God’s commandments. Everything that God requires is good.

And the most important take away here is exactly what you should take away from the tzitzit. “This way you will remember AND OBEY.” Remembrance is only half of the equation and most important are our actions…

I could add more scientific support here which discusses the importance of keeping your goals visible but I want the power of this reminder to speak for itself.

There is so much more to glean from this natural reminder, as well as all of the embedded systems we covered. But I pray that you do as the tzitzits require and take ACTION.

Walk out your faith, and work out your salvation through godly fear and trembling before our mighty and awesome Creator God!!

Takeaways to make a way (Practical Advice)

1. God has given us systems (for free) which are embedded in His Word and are for the good of our wellbeing and personal development.
2. Yeshua (Jesus) is the King of Second Chances. And Our Father is a God of Mercy!
3. Each morning (and each evening) serve as chances for us to reset and reconnect with our Creator.
4. The weekly Shabbat (Sabbath) represents perhaps the greatest opportunity to rest, reflect, and reconnect with God and His purpose.
5. The spiritual appointments are part of a greater story and rehearsal, by which we are sanctified and sanctify time and space.
6. God gives us both visual and auditory reminders.
7. Action is the most important aspect of any system.

Further Study with your Buddy

For further knowledge of godly processes and systems, read A godlyyy personal operating system

For more on daily godly cycles, read Focused on our daily bread

To go deeper on spiritual alignment, read: Aligning our Life to God’s Will: Five Key Practices for Winning at Life Planning & Productivity (the godly way)

To find more ways for putting God first in your daily cycles, read: SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God (Developing a Mindset & a Time Unexpected)

Questions for Reflection…

1. What other systems do you notice as you study the Word of God?
2. How can you better utilize the morning as a reset to glorify God?
3. How does your morning routine look?
4. How do you glorify God and experience His glory and purpose on Shabbat?
5. What changes or actions will you take to better recognize and react to godly systems embedded in His Word?
6. Why do you think God established these systems?
7. How do you respond to God’s reminders and alarms?

Sources

Alqahtani, F., et al. (2025). Examining the impact of digital detox interventions on anxiety and depression levels among young adults. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11725043/

Cortisol awakening response. (2026, April 12). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol\_awakening\_response

Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2014). The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science, 60(10), 2563–2582. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901

Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2015). Put your imperfections behind you: Temporal landmarks spur goal initiation when they signal new beginnings. Psychological Science, 26(12), 1927–1936. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4839284/

Davis, M. (1984). The mammalian startle response. In R. C. Eaton (Ed.), Neural mechanisms of startle behavior (pp. 287–351). Plenum Press.

Dein, S., & Loewenthal, K. M. (2013). The mental health benefits and costs of Sabbath observance among Orthodox Jews. Journal of Religion and Health. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250919744

Endocrine Society. (2024). The cortisol awakening response. Endocrine Reviews. https://www.endocrine.org/journals/endocrine-reviews/the-cortisol-awakening-response

Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1

Heschel, A. J. (1951). The Sabbath: Its meaning for modern man. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Koch, M. (1999). The neurobiology of startle. Progress in Neurobiology, 59(2), 107–128. [As cited in] ScienceDirect Topics: Startle response — An overview. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/startle-response

Kushlev, K. (2025, November 10). Digital detoxes work. How reduced screen time will help you. Georgetown University. https://www.georgetown.edu/news/digital-detox-reduce-screen-time-benefits/

Lee, J. W., et al. (2014). Sabbath keeping and its relationships to health and well-being: A mediational analysis. Journal of Religion and Health. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271670349

Living by the clock of the book: Religious observance enhances circadian stability and reduces social jetlag in older adults, a cross-sectional study. (2025, August 1). BMC Public Health. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-025-23861-3

Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. (2014). Tree of Life Version. Baker Publishing Group.

Psyche. (2025, December 24). Curious about a digital “detox”? Here’s what you should know. Psyche.co. https://psyche.co/ideas/curious-about-a-digital-detox-heres-what-you-should-know

Rambam (Maimonides), M. (n.d.). Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Tefillah [Laws of Prayer]. Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org

Rambam (Maimonides), M. (n.d.). Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 3:4 [Laws of Repentance]. Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org

Rea, M. S., Figueiro, M. G., Sharkey, K. M., & Carskadon, M. A. (2012). Relationship of morning cortisol to circadian phase and rising time in young adults with delayed sleep times. International Journal of Endocrinology, 2012, Article 749460. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/749460

The Banner. (2019, February). The science of Sabbath: How people are rediscovering rest — and claiming its benefits. https://www.thebanner.org/news/2019/02/the-science-of-sabbath-how-people-are-rediscovering-rest-and-claiming-its-benefits

Wright, K. P., et al. (2012). Short-wavelength light enhances cortisol awakening response in sleep-restricted adolescents. [Study accessed via PMC]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3413982/

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Feel free to drop a comment below!