Inside the Box?

Daily Reading: Numbers 34

Scripture Focus: This is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan as defined by its borders (Numbers 34.2b)

Devotional Thought: Sometimes I think that we view our spiritual lives as Moses and the people of Israel viewed the boundaries of Israel and their tribes. We feel that there are definite borders that must be established and maintained, defined lines that we have to get inside of in order to be a Christian. We imagine the Christian life as being inside a box.

One side of the box may be certain experiences we have to have in order to be "in" - baptism, confirmation, joining the church. Another side of the box might be our emotions - we have to feel a certain way. Still another side of the box might be theology - we have to have a certain educational or intellectual level. And the final side of the box might be our ethics - we have to live right in order to be accepted by God and get inside the box.

Those boundaries may be helpful as far as they go, but they can also be harmful. We may look at those boundaries and say, "I'm so far from the borders, that I'll never enter the land."

I think a better way of seeing our 'citizenship' in the Kingdom of God is to consider - not how close or far we are, not if we're inside a certain set of boundaries - but rather to see if we are facing Jesus. I like to ask people, "Are your ‘arrows’ pointing toward the cross? What are you shooting at?" When we are facing Jesus, we will become more like him, for we can't help but get closer to what we are looking at.

So, don't worry if you're inside the box. Just turn your eyes upon Jesus and follow him. You'll get where you need to be!

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for calling me to follow you. Help me to turn my eyes upon you and start walking. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 5 May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward! 6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, 7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand nor the binder of sheaves his arms, 8 nor do those who pass by say, "The blessing of the LORD be upon you! We bless you in the name of the LORD!" (Psalms 129:5-8)