Boundaries

This past week we hosted a mission group here in Dulce. One thing they did this week was run a youth sports camp, where each morning about 20 or so children played and/or learned basketball and pickleball. Most of the kids knew something of basketball, while pickleball was a new experience. Each day also included a lot of miscellaneous playing, snacks, a Bible lesson and prayer, and lunch before going home. All-in-all the sports camp was an outstanding part of an outstanding week.

This week my Bible reading plan brought me back into the psalms. For the past nine or ten years I’ve followed a plan that has me read through the New Testament and Psalms twice a year and the remainder of the Old Testament once. Monday I returned to the Psalms.

Psalm 1 is short and to the point. It contrasts the difference between the person who aims to live close to God in their life and the person who lives farther and farther away from God. Verse three says:

“…but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.”  

The psalmist understands that there is a known way in which a person should live, and that way is found in the law of God. Much like our children playing basketball and pickleball need a line on the court to know what is in bounds and out-of-bounds, the law of God acts as a boundary for the shape of our lives. Good, and even glorious, things can happen inside God’s boundaries. Outside of them? Not so much.

God’s law is a boundary that is truly given for our good. We can’t keep it perfectly, and praise God that He has given His Son Jesus to save us in those times when we disobey the law.  But we can learn the law and strive to keep it, as a thankful response for the gift of our Savior. Amen.

 

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.