The waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; at the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. They went up over the mountains; they went down into the valleys, to the place which You founded for them. You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not return to cover the earth. (Psalm 104:6-9)

The prevailing theme in this psalm is God’s greatness and mastery over His creation. In that vein of thought, David speaks of how the immense and mighty oceans are obedient to the Word of the Lord. In the beginning, at His command, they were gathered together to form the seas thus allowing dry land to emerge. In turn, this made life on earth possible, and to ensure that life would continue, God established a boundary whereby the waters of the earth would remain in their place and “not return to cover the earth.” As it is written, “I have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it. And though its waves toss to and fro, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it” (Jeremiah 5:22).

This is one of many examples demonstrating the need and purpose of God-ordained boundaries. The distinctions He has established between the oceans and dry land, light and darkness, good and evil are conducive to peace, prosperity and life. Ignoring those boundaries is what leads to loss, death and destruction. We have to look no further than a scenario whereby a river or lake overflows its banks; property is devastated, and in extreme cases, people lose their life. Again, boundaries are not only important, but in some situations, they may be the difference between life and death.

That being so, consider how important it is for us to respect and honor the boundaries God has established for how His people are to live. If we don’t abide by those boundaries, how can we expect the rest of the world to do so? Moreover, if we were more careful to regard those boundaries with respect and obedience, some of the not-so-pleasant issues we deal with in life would dissipate. In short, we are not smarter than God. All of our roaring and tossing to and fro will not change the fact that He has established hard and fast universal boundaries. Therefore, it is proper and beneficial that we know our place and purpose and remain faithful to that purpose. Our success in this matter will depend, in large part, on our willingness to work within the boundaries our Lord and Master has established by His Word.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill