" . . . let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
(1 Peter 5:17)
Gavin (our dog) loved living in Colorado. He found freedom in the white crisp snow. I loved watching him shoot out the front door like a wild rabbit. He circled the yard without stopping for a breath. #Snow flew up covering his nose and face. He loved it. He felt #free.
But was he really? Gavin was confined to the backyard with a tall fence that created a huge barrier between him and the big world. We put up imaginary barriers, create boundaries, and confine ourselves to certain areas of the world.
Even the #Lord put up boundaries - telling the Israelites where they could go and where they shouldn't. Who they could marry and who they shouldn't. He set the boundaries when dividing the land.
Having boundaries doesn't mean we can't run through life with joy and freedom. We can! Healthy boundaries give us the freedom to do that. However, unhealthy boundaries keep us confined. Unhealthy boundaries hinder and keep us from running well - or perhaps running at all. Unhealthy boundaries often lead to sin - "the sin that so easily entangles."
Gavin felt safe and secure within his area. We can have that with the Lord. The Lord gives us peace and strength to run our race. Settle beneath the boundary of His mighty wings and run with passion, endurance, and strength. Let us throw off anything that hinders or entangles and "let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."