Prov 8:29 [ESV] when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

 

The whole concept of boundaries is fundamental to loving the Christian life well. In Psalm 16:6 “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance”. The beach is one of God’s most beautiful boundaries.

Wendy and I have lost count of how many times we have walked together along the water’s edge on countless beaches around Australia. We sense God’s order, his pleasure, his work in these places. Could it be that we are meant to live in this beauty each day – whether we live at the beach or not – that God has beautiful places of boundary for me, for Wendy, for you, each day, and all we have to do is trust Him, and walk in that trust?

 

KNOWLEDGE – I found myself fascinated by the connection in meaning between transgression and pass over. The act of transgression is to pass over God’s provided boundaries, and even the sea won’t do that. The idea then of Passover – that forgiveness, and passing over the guilt is also what God does, in fact only God can do.

 

 

UNDERSTANDING

Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?

The word for “transgress” in Hebrew is pronounced as “‘abar ‘ and carries the meanings – “to pass over; to cross over; travel through; to extend, to send over”.

The LXX has παρελεύσονται [pareleusontai] – “go by”. This word appears 30 times in the New Testament – meaning “pass”.

 

 

 

 

WISDOM 

What boundaries are you speaking to me about today Lord?

 

STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Individualization as a Gallup Strength instinctively notices and appreciates the unique characteristics of every person bringing understanding and care to others, beware of assumptions, and lean into conversations.

 

 

Allan’s Unauthorised Version – When he set to the sea and the shore its prescribed position so that the oceans and the seas might not cross over his testimony when he inscribed the foundation of the lands of the world.

 

When he assigned – when he set 

to the sea – to the sea and the shore

its limit – its prescribed position

so that the waters – so that the oceans and seas

might not transgress – might not cross over or pass over

his command – his testimony

when he marked out – when he inscribed

the foundations – the foundation

of the earth – of the lands of the world

 

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me to know the boundaries you have set, and to live my life in honour to these.

 

To chat to me as a professional coach/mentor – allan@theallankey.com

 

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