Boundary Lines and Obedience ; Living your Best Life

LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

Psalm 16:5-6

They make it, finally, to the Promised Land. Joshua leads the way after a chorus of reminders from Moses and the LORD God to be strong and courageous, to not be afraid, to remember and to know. Joshua was not a battle novice, many years before he had gallantly fought the Amalekites (Exodus 17) with a ragamuffin army under the prayers of one somewhat elderly man whose arms were held high by the strength of two others. Many years before he had been the underdog and had beheld the power of a God who went before him, of a God who fights for His people. After this first mighty victory, Joshua found himself in an extended season of preparation. Preparation manifested as spending time with the LORD.

Now the Promised Land was exactly as the LORD had stated, bountiful. But it was teeming with inhabitants who had previously discovered the land’s potential, and had established cities surrounded by walls and occupied by fighting men, fighting men transported by iron chariots. The LORD directs Joshua to lead the Hebrew army to take ownership of the land that He had provided as an inheritance, despite the armed men and their iron chariots.

About this time, I would be asking…”but I thought You were giving it to me, what exactly do you mean I have to go and fight for it?” Joshua’s forty years of preparation and the LORD’s direction to Moses in Exodus 17:14 to write down the story of their victory over the Amalekites so that Joshua specifically would remember, begin to make sense. The LORD is about to lead Joshua and the Hebrew army into a series of unevenly matched battles. Remembering the LORD’s faithfulness is imperative as the men march offensively into one battle after another.

Early on in their campaign, they lose, badly. Turns out one man had disobeyed by keeping some of the devoted things from Jericho for himself. This loss came after a brilliant victory over Jericho that only God Himself could have orchestrated (to the sound of trumpets, actually). Confusing. A big win over Jericho immediately followed by a painful defeat to Ai. Joshua bewildered, tears his clothes and falls face down before the LORD, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side” (Joshua 7:6-7). I can hear Joshua saying, “what exactly just happened?” and “what exactly are we to do now?”. Oh the LORD’s response to Joshua in verse 10-11, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant”. In other words, “Get up and lead. I have not failed you. I have not forgotten my plan. There is problem with obedience that needs your attention.” (Did they not remember what happened with Moses?)

Very early in a long military campaign that will require the better portion of Joshua’s remaining years on earth, the LORD makes it exceedingly clear that possession of the promise will require absolute obedience. The LORD makes it exceedingly clear that He determines who will win each battle and who will lose. The LORD makes it exceedingly clear, that while the Hebrews must fight for possession of the Promised Land, it is He who transfers its ownership.

Something interesting happens as the Hebrew army gains confidence in God’s faithfulness and as they grow accustomed to winning. They fail to completely obey the direction they were given and they fail to take all of the land that had been allotted to them by God. Maybe they were tired of fighting, maybe they longed to establish roots and get along with the prior inhabitants, to feast, to rest, to finally be home. Maybe it looks a little bit like complacency. It doesn’t go well in the end, as we quickly discover moving from the story of Joshua into the book of Judges. Not too many generations down the line, the people have forgotten their part of the covenant, they have begun to worship other gods, they have begun to adopt the culture of those around them. Literally, God removed them from Egypt. Figuratively, they naturally slipped their way back in.

Is this not just like us?

God comes and rescues us, breathing new life into our story. We stick tight, remembering where we came from, determined to not go back. Early on, we know, obedience brings victory, obedience opens doors. We gain confidence in His favor and in His faithfulness. Once in the wide open space of the Promised Land, we begin to get comfortable with our surroundings, curiosity grows about possibilities outside of obedience, outside of the covenant. Just a little taste here, a little taste there…soon, full-blown living like the native inhabitants, forgetting that sanctification means to be set apart, to be different. Forgetting that slipping into old patterns leads us back to where we started, not free, but rather once again in bondage.

Where is the hope in all of this? It’s here, just one more minute. Do you really want to live in all the space allotted for you? In the pleasant places of your delightful inheritance? Well, it’s simple. And it’s possible.

• Be obedient. How to be obedient?
• Follow God’s direction. How to follow God’s direction?
• Trust God. How to trust God?
• Know that God loves you. How to know God loves you?
• Know God. How to know God?
• Spend time with God. How to spend time with God?
• Read His word and talk with Him, listen expectantly for Him to answer. He does the heart work required for the rest ascending up the list to “be obedient”. That one He does not do for us, that one is on us.

God fully intends for us to live in all of the blessings He allotted for us, each one of us. Maybe this does not translate to land, to wealth, perfect health, to everything we ever wished for. It does mean to live authentically with Him, in constant fellowship. It does mean abundance, hope, joy, patience, peace and ever expanding knowledge of just how good and loving He is. It does mean an intimate relationship that deepens as our days pass, as we settle into His word and pray without ceasing, and as we deliberately set aside time to sit in His presence. Our confidence grows in His love resulting in trust and a willingness to follow His direction, even when His direction is counter to our understanding.

Imagine the gate to your secure, delightful, pleasant lot is opened by a key. That key is obedience. Partial obedience will gain you partial access. If you desire to live fully in the abundance of God’s goodness, full obedience will grant you access to all of those gates.

And this is very hopeful, very hopeful indeed.

You have made known to me the path of life; You fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:11