Fences

Fences

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone
which was put in place by your ancestors.”
Proverbs 22:28

From the common chain link found in backyards everywhere to the rows of rolled razor wire that surround our prisons, fences come in all shapes and sizes to meet a wide variety of needs. Some are placed around buildings to keep trespassers and would be robbers out, while others are built around backyards to keep a barking dog from chasing cars and neighbors down the street. Our nightly walks and bike rides with Dief this time of year bring that out so clearly as dog after dog runs and barks along the fence line letting our beloved Siberian Husky know that their property is protected by the fiercest 20 lb. canine found anywhere.

The key is to realize that fences are always put there for a reason. Chesterton wrote that “before you remove any fence, always first ask why it was put there in the first place.” The commands of God, areas that He has called us to walk in, or actions that He has warned us to turn away from, are a lot like fences. They have been given as boundaries, not arbitrarily dictated on a whim but established and set up by God for our protection and for our good. Let me give you a simple example: Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. Jesus made it clear in Mark 2:27 that “the Sabbath was made for man”. If you look at the Sabbath as a fence, you’ll quickly see something established by God as He foresaw man’s need for rest and a time to reconnect with his Creator. That’s one fence to be repaired if need be (if we’ve slacked off in any way) but never torn down!

As we begin to see God’s commands and teachings in this light, as fences and boundaries built in love, our whole attitude toward obedience will be transformed. Ravi Zacharias said that “every boundary set by God points to something worth protecting” in each of our lives. The fences around our moral behavior – put there for very good reasons, whether we are married or single. Boundaries established for our finances, from principles about borrowing to faithfulness in tithes and offerings, all carry hidden blessings so necessary in each of our lives. The truth applies in so many areas but the real question is: Have we torn down any fences we shouldn’t have and in so doing left an important part of our life unprotected? If we have, some fences may have to be rebuilt; some areas of obedience reinstituted in our lives. God’s fences – blessings beyond compare – to be so very thankful for!

God Bless & Happy Easter
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church