"You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me." Psalm 139:5 NIV
The fence was there for a
purpose-not just for looks.
The first house I lived in was situated on two acres
of land just outside of town. Gardening and farming had always been in my
blood-I suppose because both of my grandfathers had, so I decided to set up a
small farm. I bought 20 chickens, 2 goats, and 2 hogs.
Before buying any of my animals, I erected two fences.
A six-foot high fence for the chickens, complete with one by fours around the
bottom. For the hogs, I put up hog wire and fastened it to the ground with
stakes. Though I'd had none of these animals before, I knew their tendency. My
maternal grandfather raised hogs, and I watched as they continuously tried to
root under the fence. Since goats go over, I topped the fence with barbed wire.
I'd watched my maternal grandmother raise chickens, so I knew they love to fly
over a fence and roost up high.
I didn't hem my animals in because I wanted to make
their lives miserable. Just the opposite. I knew if they got out, they might be
killed by other animals, run over in the highway, or tempted to go into the
neighbor's yard and root up everything. The fence protected them.
The psalmist also knew God hemmed him in for a reason.
He was hemmed in by God's commands and principles as well as His daily
interaction in his life. He enjoyed being hemmed in.
As His child, God hems me in also. Instead of looking
at His commands and principles as cruel and cumbersome-things given to make my
life miserable, I see them for my good. Like my hogs and goats, I have a
tendency to root under God's commands and jump over His principles. Things on
the other side look more appealing.
But God knows what's best. That's why He gave guiding
ideologies. And that's why He gently brings me back into the fence with His
discipline when I get out. He loves me and wants me to experience the best in
life-which I won't if I go over or under what He's put there to hem me in.
Learn to live within the hemming boundaries of what
God has erected. He provides the fences for your good, not your detriment.
Martin Wiles Hodges, South Carolina, USA
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.