1 00:00:35,675 --> 00:00:40,675 Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Daily Christian Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's 2 00:00:40,715 --> 00:00:43,915 Speaker 1: meditation is brought to you by our partners at Life Audio. 3 00:00:44,235 --> 00:00:46,475 Speaker 1: If you go to lifeaudio dot com you will find 4 00:00:46,555 --> 00:00:50,075 Speaker 1: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've 5 00:00:50,075 --> 00:00:53,915 Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more. Head 6 00:00:53,915 --> 00:00:57,795 Speaker 1: over to lifeaudio dot com now, and remember you can 7 00:00:57,835 --> 00:01:01,555 Speaker 1: have full access to our meditations commercial free. Just text 8 00:01:01,635 --> 00:01:05,075 Speaker 1: Abide to two two four three three for twenty five 9 00:01:05,115 --> 00:01:09,355 Speaker 1: percent off. Now receive his piece as we meditate and 10 00:01:09,435 --> 00:01:10,435 Speaker 1: abide in Christ. 11 00:01:12,835 --> 00:01:18,955 Speaker 2: Welcome to this Abide meditation. I'm Jennifer Clark. It's natural 12 00:01:19,115 --> 00:01:23,595 Speaker 2: to set and abide by boundaries. As you begin to 13 00:01:23,715 --> 00:01:28,115 Speaker 2: settle in, take a long, deep breath, close your eyes 14 00:01:28,635 --> 00:01:32,035 Speaker 2: and imagine that you are standing on the shore looking 15 00:01:32,075 --> 00:01:37,195 Speaker 2: out at a bright, glittering blue ocean. You look to 16 00:01:37,235 --> 00:01:40,315 Speaker 2: your left and to your right, and you see a 17 00:01:40,395 --> 00:01:47,035 Speaker 2: long stretch of sand that goes on for miles. Job 18 00:01:47,235 --> 00:01:51,955 Speaker 2: thirty eight, verses eight through eleven says, who shut in 19 00:01:52,035 --> 00:01:55,275 Speaker 2: the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb? 20 00:01:55,955 --> 00:01:59,795 Speaker 2: When I made clouds its garment and thick darkness, its 21 00:01:59,795 --> 00:02:04,315 Speaker 2: swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it, and set bars 22 00:02:04,515 --> 00:02:08,595 Speaker 2: and doors, and said, thus far you shall come, and 23 00:02:08,795 --> 00:02:12,915 Speaker 2: no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed. 24 00:02:16,755 --> 00:02:29,475 Speaker 2: Imagine those waters stretching out. Imagine the boundaries of those 25 00:02:29,635 --> 00:02:34,355 Speaker 2: vast oceans stopping their waters from spilling over all the earth, 26 00:02:34,755 --> 00:02:48,515 Speaker 2: covering it and making it uninhabitable. God created limits boundaries 27 00:02:48,595 --> 00:02:52,715 Speaker 2: to ensure that things that are good and beautiful and 28 00:02:52,875 --> 00:02:57,075 Speaker 2: important are kept within a space of reason so that 29 00:02:57,115 --> 00:03:02,795 Speaker 2: they do not become destructive. Boundaries are a gift that 30 00:03:02,915 --> 00:03:06,315 Speaker 2: God has given us to utilize in many parts of life. 31 00:03:06,795 --> 00:03:08,275 Speaker 3: Good and bad. 32 00:03:14,635 --> 00:03:21,315 Speaker 2: Oceans, rivers, lakes, even little ponds all have boundaries to 33 00:03:21,515 --> 00:03:24,555 Speaker 2: ensure that they do not pass into areas where they 34 00:03:24,595 --> 00:03:30,875 Speaker 2: would do more harm than good. Boundaries are essential for 35 00:03:31,035 --> 00:03:44,675 Speaker 2: healthy environments. Let's take a moment to pray, Dear Lord, 36 00:03:45,555 --> 00:03:48,355 Speaker 2: thank you for putting the boundaries on the seas to 37 00:03:48,475 --> 00:03:53,395 Speaker 2: keep them from flooding and hurting the earth. Thank you 38 00:03:53,475 --> 00:03:56,915 Speaker 2: for giving us such a vivid picture of why boundaries 39 00:03:56,915 --> 00:04:00,635 Speaker 2: are so important in both the outside world and in 40 00:04:00,795 --> 00:04:04,915 Speaker 2: my own personal life. Help me to remember that it 41 00:04:05,035 --> 00:04:07,915 Speaker 2: is all right to set boundaries in order to maintain 42 00:04:08,035 --> 00:04:11,915 Speaker 2: my health, both physical and mental. And to keep me 43 00:04:12,075 --> 00:04:20,115 Speaker 2: safe from giving too much of myself. Amen, Now close 44 00:04:20,155 --> 00:04:25,315 Speaker 2: your eyes again and breathe deeply, straightening your spine and 45 00:04:25,475 --> 00:04:31,715 Speaker 2: opening your palms to the heavens. Imagine again that crystalline ocean, 46 00:04:32,115 --> 00:04:35,595 Speaker 2: water and shoreline as far as you can see. 47 00:04:37,155 --> 00:04:55,355 Speaker 3: Breathe. 48 00:04:55,635 --> 00:04:59,675 Speaker 2: Boundaries were made by God, but he did not intend 49 00:04:59,755 --> 00:05:05,235 Speaker 2: for us to set up barricades against him. Take this 50 00:05:05,435 --> 00:05:08,515 Speaker 2: time to open up your heart to him, Let him in, 51 00:05:08,915 --> 00:05:12,795 Speaker 2: and place any pain or burden you may have into 52 00:05:12,835 --> 00:05:34,675 Speaker 2: his hands. Like blinders on a horse, keep its attention 53 00:05:34,835 --> 00:05:38,795 Speaker 2: on the path ahead of it. Sometimes boundaries are set 54 00:05:39,155 --> 00:05:42,795 Speaker 2: in order to keep our focus on what's most important. 55 00:05:44,675 --> 00:05:48,235 Speaker 2: Keep your focus on God and trust his path for you. 56 00:05:50,915 --> 00:05:55,995 Speaker 2: Let's pray, Lord, I trust you with the boundaries set 57 00:05:56,035 --> 00:05:58,915 Speaker 2: in my life, for you are the one who laid 58 00:05:58,955 --> 00:06:03,515 Speaker 2: down the law of limits in the very beginning. Thank 59 00:06:03,555 --> 00:06:06,955 Speaker 2: you for knowing when we couldn't, the harm of what 60 00:06:07,195 --> 00:06:11,555 Speaker 2: too much of something can be. You are good and 61 00:06:11,635 --> 00:06:16,835 Speaker 2: you are mighty, and your love and glory know no bounds, 62 00:06:17,635 --> 00:06:20,315 Speaker 2: for they are the only things that are not harmful 63 00:06:20,435 --> 00:06:25,955 Speaker 2: in their endlessness. Thank you for that boundless love, that 64 00:06:26,275 --> 00:06:34,235 Speaker 2: endless grace. Amen, boundaries are completely natural, and they are 65 00:06:34,275 --> 00:06:39,835 Speaker 2: necessary set down by God from the very beginning. Remember 66 00:06:39,915 --> 00:06:45,515 Speaker 2: this as you set your limits. Until next time, may 67 00:06:45,555 --> 00:06:58,995 Speaker 2: you abide in Christ.