I have always said that when I write, it is definitely not from me & they are not my words. This English teacher here, failed the HS writing test twice. Hello bad writer. God has turned that weakness around and used it for His glory. I love to write now, and sometimes I just get this pounding in my heart and the words just flow. Those of you that know me, know I talk a lot a lot. So when I write, it happens all the same. This one may be a long one, but if you are going to start this thing, I urge to read it all.
Watching the video for the 3rd week of my 10 week study, I just got this pounding in my chest and had to write. &I remembered I had taken some notes previously on Proverbs 8:29-30. I stumbled across it doing my quiet time at the beach one night, and it fits perfectly into my dating study.
(Side note---- Yes, I am doing a 10 week dating study. After some things in my past, God had laid circumstances into place so I would be directed back to Him with a broken heart that only HE could piece back together. He wanted me to be so vulnerable to Him and His teaching. Yes, 10 is a random # but that's okay. I have found 10 weeks of studying that I am doing.)
As I am doing this dating study and watching this video today by Andy Stanley-- New rules for love sex & dating... its the third week and it is talking about honoring God with our body. Our bodies do not belong to us anyways. It says in 1 Corinthians that our bodies were bought for a price, and in Romans 12:1 it says that the greatest spiritual worship is to offer our bodies a s living sacrifice.
Ok so what does that mean --
that means God has given us boundaries. He bought our bodies and lives with a price. So the least we can do is obey the boundaries He has given us.
these are my notes I wrote on this section
Boundaries are key
In proverbs 8, starting in 29 it talks about God giving the sea its boundaries not to overstep His command.
God gives us boundaries for a reason. We have guidelines to follow for reason. What a mess it would be if the sea had no boundaries--there would be no land.
in 2 Timothy 3:16 it says all scripture (all of God's words, teachings, boundaries) is God breathed & is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, & training in righteouness v17, so man of God can be equipped for every good work.
The sea has a good work to do -- but it cannot be done if it does not have & obey boundaries.
Genesis 1: verses 9 & 20 show us a little about the water/seas good work
Let the water be gathered in one place and let the dry ground appear (He separates & gives the boundaries like in Job 38 when he shuts the sea behind doors) Let the water teem with living creatures.
We all know what water does & that water is a need. Water replenishes, cleans, helps make things new, helps things grow. That is the good work of the sea & water.
If God never gave the sea boundaries, it wouldn't have a special job. & what happens when water oversteps its given boundaries... disaster. Flood & loss. Loss of beautiful living things that were set to grow and flourish within their own boundaries.
So-- you may be thinking, what the world do water, sea, and boundaries of water & land have to do with me...
We have God given desires to be in relationships. That is one of God's thumbprints on our hearts.
We have boundaries within those relationships. Whether they are friendships or something more.
We have boundaries. God gave them to us.
You can be the sea and that person in the relationship with you can be the land (lovely picture you have in your head right now I am sure... but bear with me)
You (the sea) know your boundaries (those relationship ones.. honor your body and those similar) & you are the sea shut behind the door & God says in Proverbs 8:34 "blessed are those who listen to me watching, and waiting at my doorway" (you know, that door he shut you behind as a boundary).
Well one day you are in a situation, and you overstep your boundary. You have now flooded the land. Not only have you busted that door down & not waited and listened to God, but you have just flooded the land. What happens when it floods... disaster. Loss of life.
The land (the other person in your relationship) has a specific purpose & boundaries itself. But now that you have overstepped your boundaries, you have messed with their boundaries as well. Now there is damage to the land.
Okay--science teacher stepping in for a second
overtime sea levels have changed & erosion has occurred. Overtime, because the water has overstepped its boundaries, it isn't even sure where its boundaries really are. Overtime, the land isn't even sure where its boundaries really are. Overtime the boundaries change.
Boundaries are key.
The sea & the land don't have to be you and another person. The sea & the land can alone be you. The sea the worldly human flesh desires, and the land your soul. When the worldly human flesh desires creep in more and more and the boundaries are overstepped and moved and confused, it is eroding the soul. When you are overstepping the boundaries God set ups for us, you are hurting yourself. Once you overstep boundaries with yourself, and slowly erode your soul.. it will be easy to overstep somebody else's boundaries and begin to cause erosion there too.
Soooo, after this heartfelt post, that may not even clearly make sense to all of my two blog readers, I just urge you to pay attention to guidelines & boundaries God has put into place for you. All of God's Word is to help you. Help equip you for the good work He has created you for.
so just as the sea has a good work to do that cannot be done if it doesn't have specific boundaries that are set up so it doesn't overstep it's command... don't overstep your boundaries.
plus-- how special and valuable and precious is water if it can be found just anywhere? think about it.
Wait at the doorway. Don't overstep the boundaries God has set up for you in relationships, because when you do that, when you overstep His command, you are hurting others as well as yourself.
Blessed are the ones who wait at the doorway. Blessed are the ones waiting at the boundary God has set up for you.
-B
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