Boundaries

I have two boys who love to to play outside in the neighborhood with their friends. I have trained them on what to do if they see a car approaching or if I call out to them, and they are diligent about obeying.

I have chosen a neighbor's driveway on either side of our house as boundaries beyond which the boys are not allowed to go. I can see them easily if they remain within this area, and they are well within hearing range if I should call to them. Beyond these boundaries, I can't see them as well, and they may get too far away to hear my warnings. So I require them to stay within the area I know is safe, in other words, within the sphere of my protection.

God does the same thing for each of us. He encourages us to have fun in this life, but He also sets up boundaries beyond which we must not go. He chooses the limits of what will keep us well within the influence of what He knows is good or us. Beyond those borders lies danger, both physical and spiritual, from which He wants to protect us.

Be let's be honest. Most of the time we see God's limits as confining, not liberating. We're sure that fun and freedom lie just on the other side of the fence, in the unexplored country. We get it into our heads that freedom means not having any boundaries, and we start to resent God for imposing them on us. Then we either sulk while remaining within the appropriate borders, or we ignore them and ride right across, because the other side looks so fulfilling.

True freedom lies not in being allowed to do anything we want, but in knowing that if we just follow the rules, we can do anything we want without messing up our lives.

I am serving jury duty this week. It took awhile this morning to select all the jurors for six cases, so we were not excused until lunchtime. I decided to grab a quick bite to eat before heading home to do my blog.

When I got to the restaurant, it was already pretty packed because of lunch hour. I placed my order and sat down. I was sitting at a table close to the register. Two gentlemen came in and one of them kept looking my way. He then continued to look my way after they sat down. It made me very uncomfortable. Praise God my phone rang, and it was my husband! We were chit-chatting about the times I have to go serve jury duty this week. While I was still on the phone with my husband, the gentleman slowly walked by my table and slipped his business card under my napkin that was sitting on top of the table. NOW, I WAS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE! I finished my conversation with my husband and finished my lunch and left the restaurant. I called my husband back and told him what had just happened. Needless to say, he was not very happy. He wanted the gentleman's number, but I just told him to let it go.

These days, people could care less if you are wearing a wedding ring on your finger...this is a big boundary that says "TAKEN!" "YOU DON'T WANT TO GO HERE!"

As long as we stay within the boundaries God has clearly laid out, we can do anything we want. Better yet, we can be assured that we won't mess up our lives or anybody else's.

Within the boundaries, we know we are completely safe. Outside of them, we can never be sure.

Remember, Satan doesn't usually try to tempt us with the ridiculously evil, but with the seemingly good.

Which do you want? Do you want the kind of freedom that might be exciting for a little while, but is certain to bring consequences crashing in upon you at some point? Or do you want the security of knowing that you can't mess up because you're within the sphere of God's blessings?

Let's stay between the driveways. And let's be grateful we know exactly where they are.

In His Grip,
Dalinda