1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you 3 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 2: listening with us. Today's topic is held within His Boundaries. 4 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 2: We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 2: our sponsors. Held within His Boundaries written and read by 6 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 2: Megan J. Connor. The boundary lines have fallen for me 7 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 2: in pleasant places. Surely I have a delightful inheritance, Psalm 8 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: sixteen six NIV. Do you feel confined by your circumstances. 9 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 2: Perhaps you're stuck in a job you dislike, or you 10 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 2: can't wait to move out of your home town or region. 11 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 2: Maybe you are longing for a change within a relationship 12 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 2: or the transition from one season of life to another. 13 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: Or perhaps you are struggling with physical limitations or health challenges. 14 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 2: Whatever your unique circumstances may be, none of us likes 15 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 2: to feel limited. We believe the world is our oyster 16 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: and we should have full access to all it has 17 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 2: to offer. However, the Bible suggests a much different narrative 18 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: throughout the word. We see example after example of God's 19 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 2: people confined within boundaries. The Israelites wandered in the desert 20 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: for forty years, then generations later were exiled to Babylon, 21 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 2: David was forced into hiding to avoid the pursuit of Saul. 22 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: Tamar and Leah were trapped in what appeared to be 23 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 2: loveless marriages. Paul and many of his disciples were imprisoned 24 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: for their faith New Testament or Old. There have been 25 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 2: multitudes of followers who have struggled to see how God 26 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 2: was working for good within the boundaries he set them. 27 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 2: The story of Joseph is one illustration that I have 28 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 2: personally looked to when wrestling with my own constrictive circumstances. 29 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: Joseph was the second andest son of the patriarch Jacob. 30 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 2: He was incredibly talented and favored by his father. During 31 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,519 Speaker 2: his youth, Joseph had two dreams that foretold he would 32 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 2: be in a position of authority over his family in 33 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 2: the future. It appeared to be a glorious prospect. However, 34 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 2: the reality looked nothing like he imagined. Shortly after Joseph 35 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: shared his prophetic vision, his brothers sold him into slavery. 36 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 2: Once carried off from his home country, Joseph spent over 37 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 2: a decade enslaved and imprisoned. He endured persecution, mistreatment, and 38 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 2: was reduced to the humblest of circumstances. There was no 39 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: escape outside of God's timely release and restoration. I would 40 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 2: imagine there were moments when Joseph really grappled with his 41 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: undesirable confinement and questioned how God was at work in 42 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 2: any of it. Yet on the other side of the 43 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 2: story we can see God was indeed working behind the scenes. 44 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 2: Joseph was eventually released from prison and became a significant 45 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 2: leader in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. His elite role 46 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 2: positioned him to save his family from servation during a 47 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 2: devastating famine. Had Joseph not been forced into those unwonted circumstances, 48 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 2: he would not have been able to rescue his family 49 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: and the generational line of the Israelite people. Even further, 50 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 2: the man Joseph became as a result of his confinement 51 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 2: was a miracle in and of itself. His once haughty 52 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 2: heart was transformed into a spirit of endless mercy and grace. 53 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: When Joseph is later reconciled to his brothers, he offers 54 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 2: compassion rather than spite. His brothers then came and threw 55 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 2: themselves down before him. We are your slaves, they said, 56 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 2: But Joseph said to them, don't be afraid. Am I 57 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: in the place of God. You intended to harm me, 58 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: but God intended it for good to accomplish what is 59 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: now being done, the saving of many lives Genesis fifth d. 60 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 2: Eighteen through twenty and IB. What looked like imprisonment was 61 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: actually favor and redemption. There are times when God draws 62 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: boundaries around each of our lives. But the truth is 63 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: those boundaries are for our good. Even if it feels 64 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 2: uncomfortable or frustrating, know that the Lord is ordaining your steps. 65 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: You are in his hands. There are riches and blessings 66 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 2: in whatever season you find yourself in Today, the boundary 67 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. Surely I 68 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 2: have a delightful inheritance saw I'm sixteen six NIV. Intersecting 69 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 2: faith in life. Do you feel like you are stuck 70 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 2: or confined by a specific circumstance or season of life. 71 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 2: If so, just looking at the examples from scripture help 72 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 2: you understand how God uses seasons of perceived confinement to 73 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: grant us good gifts. Why or why not take some 74 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 2: time today to reflect on past moments when you felt 75 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: as if your current circumstances would never change, yet ultimately 76 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: a transition arrived. Then consider how those periods shaped who 77 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: you are today. How can you see the fingerprints of 78 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: the Lord through these past experiences. For further reading, take 79 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 2: a look at Psalms chapter sixteen and Genesis chapter thirty nine. 80 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 81 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 82 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 83 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 84 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 85 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.