Boundaries, while similar to borders, define a space. Boundaries also refer to limits of any space or concept, including personal contexts. Boundaries are flexible, whereas borders are not. Boundaries set the limits in relationships and behaviors.
I want to share how boundaries in a person’s life are essential to a person’s well-being. Everyone sets boundaries in their life. For example, parents set boundaries for their children to keep them safe from harm, for their safety, health, etc. As children get older, the limits on the children’s lives change. There are times when kids don’t follow the boundaries that were set for them. When I was twelve, my brother got a new motorized bicycle. So, I really wanted to try it, and without permission from my parents or brother, I took it for a ride. Disaster followed. I lost control of the bike, crossed the highway, and I stopped when my body headfirst hit the highway divider. Of course, I wasn’t wearing a helmet. Cars managed to miss me; someone helped me and took me home. I fractured my skull, had a huge gash, and the bike was damaged. It was a miracle I wasn’t killed. Needless to say, I broke so many boundaries my parents set for us kids. I got over two hundred stitches, and boy, did I get punished, plus a scar to remind me to this day.
You know, God, our good Father, has set boundaries in His Word for us to follow. He wants us to live fruitful lives and to have a sweet relationship with Him.
Proverbs 3:1-8 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of your life And peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
How important is it to know His commandments! His Word will add to our lives and give us peace and understanding if we stay within the boundaries He has given us.
Psalm 199:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. His Word lights the way, guides us In the way we should walk.
Psalm 119:9-16 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your Word I have treasured in my heart, That I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your Word.
Keeping our way pure or right is by actively pursuing to not forget or wander away from our Father’s commandments. We choose to meditate on His Word, to remember so we can walk within the boundaries of His Word.
Psalm 119:59 I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
We choose which path we follow.
Psalm 119:24 Your testimonies also are my delight: They are my counselors. God’s Word helps us to stay within the boundaries He has set for us. God gave the children of Israel the Mosaic Law so they would know what sin was and stay within His boundaries. When they were to go into the promised land, they didn’t follow His law, and they suffered greatly. They wandered in the desert for 40 years. Imagine just wandering in the desert for that amount of time! What a waste of their lives. That’s not what Yahweh wanted for them.
John the Baptist was teaching, and in Luke 3:12-14, some tax collectors also came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” Some soldiers questioned him, saying, “And what about us? What shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”
John the Baptist gave them clear boundaries for them to follow. It was for their good.
So, we also have clear boundaries for us to follow for our own good.
Psalm 119:165-168 Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble. I hope for Your salvation, O LORD, And do Your commandments. My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ways are before You.
When we walk within the boundaries of His Word, we will not stumble. God’s Word gives us great peace, and our ways are before Him.
II Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
When we stay and follow His Word, we are being trained to walk in His ways. The Word teaches us the right way to walk with our Father.
I Peter 2:21-25 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return: while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed: For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ followed His Father’s Word. He entrusted Himself to His Father. He left this example for us to follow in his steps, to entrust ourselves to God our Father, and to walk in His ways. Jesus always did the Father’s will. He served, loved, and obeyed His Father. We should do the same.
II Peter 3:17-18 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
I John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not burdensome. It is not hard to follow His commandments. It’s not a heavy burden on our shoulders to weigh us down. Rather, His commandments are life to our souls. Guard your heart, examine yourself so that you stay within the boundaries of His Word, and follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. He left us the example to follow his steps so we won’t stumble; we won’t get carried away by false error; we will love, serve, and obey God’s Word just as he did. So think about what you are doing. Are you following in his steps?