Boundaries

Towards the end of the book of Numbers, while God is explaining the boundaries of Israel’s inheritance and how the people should divide the land, He introduces an intriguing concept: Cities of Refuge. These, He explains, are places that people can go if they have accidentally killed someone, and within its limits they have immunity from avengers. Outside the city limits, though, they’re free game. (This is all laid out in Numbers 35, if you want to check it out.)

I think it’s safe to say that most of us don’t like limits. We want freedom; we have rules. At home, it may be a curfew; in schools, it’s the dress code; in your community, it’s the speed limit.

God has an established game-plan, almost like a personalized set of rules, for us Christians; it’s a little something we usually call His will. And His will is like a City of Refuge: if you remain inside of it, He will protect you—but if you should wander off into the Great Unknown (aka rebel), He won’t. It’s dangerous out there, because Satan lurks “like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV), and Jesus said “the thief [that’s Satan again] comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10 NIV). The devil’s the avenger, and we’re the prey he wants. But, within the boundaries God has established for each of us—His will for our lives—we have His protection. Not an easy life, mind, and probably not even a painless one. Remember the apostles? A lot of them were killed because they remained in God’s will, spreading the Gospel to areas that weren’t exactly user-friendly. Sounds like a tough gig, doesn’t it? And where was their protection? Their eternity is sure.

And maybe they’d read Psalm 5:11: “let all who take refuge in you [God] be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (NIV).

Remain in God’s City of Refuge. It's safer there; God guarantees it.