Passage of the Day:
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me,” Genesis 16:1-5.
Reflection:
I grew up as a teenager when the sitcom Happy Days was in its prime. Rather than promoting one-night stands, Happy Days introduced me to the concept of going steady. This often involved giving a girlfriend your letter man’s jacket from high school as a sign of your commitment. In the earliest recorded relationships in the Bible, there wasn’t a book, marriage class or You Tube video to guide you in this endeavor. Unfortunately, couples learned through trial and error, living and learning together. When an individual was filled with a sense of desperation, poor choices were often made. Such is the case of Sarah, whose barren womb placed Abraham into a compromising position. If Abraham and Sarah defined specific boundaries early on to protect their marriage, the idea of giving Abraham Sarah’s maidservant Hagar to have a child would have never entered her mind. When boundaries aren’t defined, even Christians can wonder down the road that leads to destruction, Matthew 7:13-14.
Prayerful Actions:
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4.
Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:
Whenever I visit historical sites on the east coast of the United States, I’m amazed at how strict English settlers were during the Colonization of America. Parents set clear boundaries in their households so that children knew what behavior was expected. There was no gray area so when a children stepped over the line, immediate rebukes and spankings would follow. If temperance is going the right distance and no further, boundaries must be established to maintain control, godliness and order. When adults start acting like amoral children, not knowing right from wrong, this is a clear signal that clear boundaries were never established and or consistently upheld.
Song of the Day:
If you ever wanted to start a small group Bible Study in your neighborhood, this would be a great song to use to break the ice. Each stanza of the lyrics to House of Their Dreams speak to the daily struggles you experience as a human being. May today’s blog inspire you to define boundaries in the relationships that you have in life.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 