Day 46 Setting Boundaries

2/15/2025 

Another long night. Last night I stayed up into the wee hours of the early morning waiting, watching, listening as the hostage release took place. Since the war began, I have watched the time, so I could pray for the safety of the young soldiers, for wisdom for the leaders, for peace for those in captivity, and for comfort for all who have lost loved ones, and for all who wait. A country caught in the crosshairs of a wicked power that seeks to destroy them, a spiritual force that has been unleashed on earth since the beginning of time. 

Our Torah portion today covered Exodus 18-21, including Moses' father-in-law Jethro's wise counsel regarding the delegation of authority to help with the oversight of the people when they came to Moses for issues and settling of grievances. It also included the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, and setting of boundaries to protect the people. Our shepherd, Bill Cloud, spoke about repetition contained in the scripture. In speaking to Moses, giving instructions to the people, God often repeated His instructions more than once. God knew these people, how rebellious they could be, and how they didn't listen, and He wanted to protect them from the consequences of not obeying His word. When they gathered at Mount Sinai, Moses was told to set a boundary around the mountain and to instruct the people not to approach it, lest they be killed. They had already witnessed the strong arm of the Lord when He meted out judgment for disobedience as the people wandered in the desert. Many times He grew impatient and tired of their grumbling and complaining, but because of Moses' intercession on their behalf of the people, God did not destroy them. The Bible says He is slow to anger, and when we journey through the pages of scripture, it's easy to recognize disobedience and wonder why God didn't just leave them to their own destruction. From the time God raised up Moses and gave him the task of delivering Israel from the hands of Pharaoh, the people tired easily and wanted to return back to where they had things better. How soon they forgot about the suffering they endured under the power of the Egyptians. Every step of the way as they wandered the desert round and round, they murmured and complained. But, are we any different today? Sometimes we hear about wanting to go back to the "good ole days"again. In reality those days were not that good. My generation grew up in a strict culture where we learned the hard way that our parents wanted to protect us. Looking back we understand that, but while we're in the moment, things appear differently.

God had to set boundaries and impose rules and regulations to guide His people. In the beginning when He created Adam and Eve, God longed for relationship with man. The Bible says He walked in the garden with them. When they sinned, God was the one who covered their nakedness, so they would not feel ashamed. As parents we know that regardless of what we say or how we teach our children, they will try to do things their way. We try to keep them from harm, from having to learn the hard way, but they always rebel in one way or another. It is just the human nature that we all inherited as a result of the first sin. As parents we would do anything to keep our children from harm, and we would go any length to ensure they have a healthy and good life. But there will always be problems. I wish it could be different, but it is part of life. I remember my mother, or it may have been my grammy, who said that rebellious children were hard-headed and had soft behinds. I came from the generation that knew what it meant to get a spanking or a "whipping," as we called it. Nothing has changed, except for those who wish to stop parental correction and remove children from the home if there is a difference in opinion, even it's a swat on the britches. No wonder the generation has lost its way.

Time to close shop and settle down and rest, so I can face the new challenges of the new day.