Have you ever noticed how it seems as if our lives begin spinning too fast now and again? As if the gentle to-and-fro sway of the cradle of life, set by God’s metronome, has been disrupted by the everyday occurrences and events that we allow into it.
It’s as if we were to go out one afternoon for a leisurely walk along the railroad track, simply enjoying the day while everything is seemingly running smoothly. When off in the distance, we hear the sound of a train and feel the vibration beneath our feet as it approaches ever closer. We know we are far enough from the track to be safe, so we continue, feeling the excitement build within us as we anticipate its arrival. But as the train comes closer, that once distant gentle sound now seems like an intrusive noise that we want to protect our ears from while also finding that we’re no longer a safe distance from the track; because somehow in those last moments of exhilaration, we’ve gotten ourselves on the track, running for all we’re worth—just trying to stay in front of the train, unable to get off.
I know we have all been there, we’ve felt the exhilaration and sensed the pull of everyday life as it sometimes asks for more than we can give, or we want to give more than we can afford. Finding ourselves being sucked in as if caught up in a whirlwind, or being chased down by a train.
On our property, we put fences up to keep out the unwanted or to protect what is ours, just as the state posts speed limits on its roadways to protect its citizens.
Sometimes our limits or boundaries are set for us by monetary constraints or medical reasons, and oft times we set them ourselves. Thinking if we keep life at bay, just to the limit or boundary which we’ve established, we’ll be all right; we’ll be safe.
But because we are human and there is an inherent need to help; we push the boundaries a bit, thinking just this once shouldn’t be a problem. And then, like the poker player who sets down for a game thinking one hand and I’ll leave, he wins, so he continues to play—winning over and over again while the pot continues to grow. Then as he plays his next hand things change, he no longer has a winning hand, and it’s time to pay up.
So must we all at some point.
The Bible tells of boundaries and limits set by God. Ones set up for our protection and well-being, all we need do is heed them, just as we need to heed the limits and boundaries we have set for ourselves if we want to live a trouble-free life.