"Mendin' Fences"

He’d say go saddle up your horse,

You need to fix the fence,

And then he’d tell me where to go,

I’ve remembered ever since.

Find the hole and stretch the wire,

And tack it up in place,

Hoping that I’d get it right,

Put a smile on Daddy’s face.

But typically it was not right,

The hard work that I did,

I really did the best I could,

But never could get rid,

Of worry that he’d disapprove,

And not like what he saw,

Often sent to try again,

That was working for my paw.

Years have passed since those old days,

The fence still needs a mend,

Sometimes I can get it done,

Sometimes still need to tend.

To places where something escapes,

I need to keep in place,

And other times to keep it out,

Some danger that we face.

Good fences make good neighbors,

That’s what they always say,

But if you have no boundaries,

You need to start today,

To know the things you need to do,

Your starts and stops real clear,

Cause if you don’t you’ll go too far,

Or be stopped by your fear.

The Lord has given boundaries,

To help us flourish strong,

And if we respect what He has said,

We never will go wrong.

“The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living…” (Psalm 19:8, NLT)

The Lord has given us commands. They are not suggestions, but boundaries which He has set for righteous living. The Holy Spirit helps us live within these boundaries, which leads us to healthy and happy living. The boundaries, the spiritual fences so to speak, are there for our protection. When my children were young the end of our driveway was the boundary. The curving street was dangerous, and if they went past the end of the driveway they were prone to get hit by a car. This might not happen the first time they did it, but was inevitable if they continued. They could pretend that the boundary did not exist, or that I, their father, was unreasonable to put such a limit upon them. The fact remains that the boundary would keep them safe if they obeyed and lived within it. The same is true with God’s behavioral boundaries. They give protection and insight for living.

Lord, help us recognize and live within Your boundaries, in Jesus’ name.

Art by R.S. Riddick, used by permission. Thanks, Mr. Riddick, and God bless you.