http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+6:17&version=NIV1984
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:13&version=NIV1984
Boundaries. What do you think when you hear the word? Is it positive or negative? On a negative note, a boundary means restriction. It means a place that we can’t freely go. For example, we can’t walk into the movie theater without buying a ticket first. Nor can we go into certain sections of a building that are marked ‘Restricted’. On the positive side, boundary means freedom. It clearly shows where we can go. For example, a fence on our property says that we can go anywhere we want to inside it. And the walls and roof of our house are boundaries that protect us from the elements. And from unwelcome visitors.
The fact is that boundaries are everywhere. Most streets have a boundary. It’s called a curb. Every single building has a boundary. They’re called walls. Every single sport has boundaries. An out-of-bounds line. A sideline. A base path. Construction zones have boundaries. Properties have boundaries. Countries have boundaries. Some boundaries are invisible. The so-called glass ceiling. Various barriers to advancement. Race. Gender. Age.
It is interesting to see how children react to boundaries. If you’ve ever had a child you know what I am talking about. “Don’t touch the nick knacks.” “Don’t go out in the street.” “Don’t climb on the furniture.” Some children, when you show them the boundaries, won’t go near them. They avoid them. I suspect that their parents put the fear of God into them. Other children, however, are intrigued and fascinated by boundaries. As soon as you tell them not to do something what do they want to do? To do it! Boundaries, testing them and breaching them, seems to draw their attention.
Interestingly, boundaries are almost as old as humankind itself. In Genesis 2:8-9 we are told that God made a garden call Eden. In that garden was every kind of tree that God had made. Including the Tree of Life. God then placed Adam & Eve in the garden to take care of it. In verse 17, Adam & Eve were strictly warned by God not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This meant that they could eat freely of the fruit of any other tree, including the Tree of Life, but that one tree. God did this as a test. To see if Adam & Eve really loved Him. Loved Him enough to trust and obey Him. Well, we know how that worked out! And why did it work out the way that it did? Obviously Satan was to blame but it was because Adam & Eve viewed the boundary as a restriction. As God keeping them from something they should be able to have. When viewed this way, is it any wonder that Adam & Eve sinned by deliberately crossing that boundary? I think not. More thoughts on tomorrow’s post.
Lord, there are many boundaries in this world. Ones I can see. And ones I can't see. Help me to pay attention to the ones that You have put in place. To obey them and not cross over them. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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