For My Benefit Part Two

In my last Blog I wrote about how much I don’t Like boundaries. I don’t like how they make me feel constricted and trapped. That they’re annoying, uncomfortable, and ultimately pointless because of my view of them.  That these thoughts and beliefs caused me to act in ways that caused me to hurt some one I care about.  They turned me into someone I’m not.  

As my time here in CGA goes on, I am learning more about boundaries than I ever imagined. Quite honestly Boundaries were on the bottom of the list of things that I wanted to learn.  I would even say maybe not even on the list all.  That being said, they have been one of the hardest lessons I have ever had. 

I have been reading the old testament lately and I have just read Leviticus and am currently reading Numbers.  Through out both books I have seen nothing but rules and laws that the Israelites were supposed to follow and obey so that the Lord would bless them.  Let’s be real for a moment, He had rescued them from slavery in Egypt where they were just meekly getting by, He promised He would provide for their every need, and He even gave them bread from heaven to eat so that they wouldn’t go hungry.  He promised He would bless them because they were His chosen people.  Because He wanted a relationship with them.  So why would he give them a bunch of strict rules and laws to follow? that no one could follow perfectly or even hope to follow perfectly?  what is the point of these laws?

I want to look at this from a boundaries prospective.  We all know that that the law was given as a place holder until Christ came to earth and to show us that we cannot live without Him.  That we could not hope to be good enough on our own.  Christ came and made the new covenant making the old law obsolete when He died on the cross (Hebrews 8:13, Rom 6:14).   that being said, God called the Israelites to be Holy (Lev 19:2).  He wanted to live and dwell with His chosen people in relationship so He gave laws as boundaries in that relationship.   They were boundaries to live lives that were God honoring.  God was always to remain at the center of everything for our own well being and protection.  Skin disease, drinking blood, eating animals that died naturally or touching anything that was dead had serious consequences for their health.  The boundaries against these things made them clean and safe from disease and sickness. They were to keep them for worshiping idols and false Gods, Sexual immorality, and how to handle Justice and wrong doing.  They were to keep His people holy and pure. And yet, along the way people rebelled and complained.  The boundaries were too much or too difficult.  They wanted to do what felt good or was right by the world and fell into constant temptation and sin.  God slowly started to be removed from the picture.  

Relationships these days tend to start out a lot like that especially in the Christian community.  We are so  intentional about setting boundaries with each other and wanting to make it a God honoring relationship because we want to stay pure and holy for God and each other. But then suddenly things start to become difficult. The world tells us the boundaries don’t matter that they are holding us back from what we think will make us happy.  Now the Boundary doesn’t seem so appealing anymore. We start to feel trapped and want to explore.  So we go as far as we can without ever actually crossing it and God is no longer the focus or sometimes removed completely.  

Picture a Line drawn in dry sand.  You draw said line saying “We are not going to go father then this.”  Its great it, feels good and it feels right.  You are mindful of it and where is and You don’t even come close to it.  But then you notice other people who have no line. You see them doing everything you said you wouldn’t.  You start to hear and see the fun they are having and we’re tempted to join in.  You know we shouldn’t but everything within you wants to go see what its like and You think of everything you can do except cross it.  We walk along side it, we tip-toe it, we stand as close as we can and lean over it, and even occasionally step on the line.  “Did I go to far?” ” No, I technically didn’t cross it.”  This goes on for a time and after a while that line that was drawn has been so blurred and undefined that you can’t see it anymore.  Then without realizing it or noticing it you step out beyond your boundary.  Either because you forgot it was there or you decide that there is no use turning back.   You wonder so far away you end up in places you never intended or wanted with consequences you don’t know how handle or live with.  I think we have all experienced this in some way.  It has been a pattern in my life more than I would like to admit.  

I’m not sure how to wrap this up so ill just say this: Boundaries are an important part of our relationship with God and with each other.  they are not meant to imprison or trap us as some us, especially me, tend to feel.  They are there only for our benefit.  To keep is pure and Holy in the Lords eyes.

I am still processing a lot of this so if it seems disjointed I apologize.  I had a lot of thoughts to right out and may have missed a few along the way.  thanks for reading

 

Peace and blessing!