The Dog Park & Commandments

Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments. Psalm 112:1

Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:14–15

As we discussed yesterday in worship, I know of many people who reject Christianity because they perceive it as a system of black and white "rules" that must be followed to appease God.

But the revolution of Love that began with the empty cross on Easter Morning isn't about rules; it is about relationship.

That does not mean there are not boundaries in this relationship. Like anything we love, our love for God comes with boundaries for our behavior. It isn't that God is going to smite us if we cross those boundaries...it is that loving God means respecting what it turns out are healthy boundaries for us.

The best analogy is the vows I made to my wife 13 years ago. They are not "rules" meant to restrain my freedom; they are the boundaries I respect because I love her. And ironically, living within those boundaries frees me to enjoy the shared life we have together.

In an ironic way, healthy boundaries actually free us. This means, we can "delight" in God's commandments...because they aren't rules meant to rob us of freedom...they are healthy limits to respect so that we can be fully free to enjoy the life God gives us.

In yesterday's children's sermon, I likened it to what our dog experiences when we take her to the dog park near us. At our house, we have no fence, so any time our dog goes outside, she has to be on a leash. But at the dog park, the fact that there are fences around the whole area mean she can run freely in a way she just can't at our house.

Whether it is vows you made to a loved one, time you spend caring for an ailing parent or friend, or restrictions in your schedule because you chose to adopt a pet, we all respect boundaries for the sake of love.

Today, my prayer is that we feel FREE in that love...that we can delight in God's commandments, because they act like that fence does for my dog. Today, may we embrace the freedom we have to love those in our lives. That gift is what I am most thankful for today.

PRAYER:
Source of all wisdom and truth, teach us to sow words of love and peace instead of hate and war in this world that we call home. Help us to love our neighbors as ourselves as we seek to do your will. Amen.*

*Prayer taken from the Moravian Daily Texts