Devotion: Fences

A couple of years ago I was driving in the Sandhills when I noticed a cow in a pasture, doing what we see cows do so often. She was straining as far as she could, reaching through the barbed wire fence, trying to grab a bite of what must have looked like the tastiest blade of grass she could see.

I thought, “Silly cow! Why is she trying to get out of that pasture? She’s belly deep in green grass, but there she is trying to reach outside the fence!”

Sure, we know the adage, “The grass is always greener…” But what if she did get out? She would be where there’s no water, not that much grass and she would be in danger of getting struck by a car or truck.

You see, that cow didn’t realize the fence wasn’t there to trap her inside, but to protect her from what was outside.

It got me thinking, though, that you and I are a lot like that old cow.

God has blessed us with life, goodness, mercy, forgiveness and grace. But for some reason, while we’re “belly deep” in God’s blessings, we seem to always be looking “out there,” beyond His perfect plan. We think God’s rules are keeping us away from all that’s fun or satisfying. Or that God’s word is fencing away from the person we think we want to be.

We humans tend to look at God’s Word as a barrier, while, in fact, it is intended to be for us what that barbed wire fence is for that cow: protection from separation, isolation and danger. Protection from sin that separates us from a relationship with our Father in Heaven.

So, decide today where you intend to stand. Are you going to push through the wires, straining to reach the sin that tempts us outside of God’s will? Or will you joyfully live under God’s law and inside its protection, inside our heavenly Father’s “pasture” filled with blessing, mercy and unending love?

Choose God’s pasture. Stay inside the fence.