Serving In The Box, Part I

Serving in the Box, Part I

One look at a tennis court, and the boundaries are obvious. You must serve into the small, square box in order to even begin play. You must stay inside the narrow lines to play singles; you must stay inside the outside lines to play doubles. Even though anything touching a line is fair, anything outside the line, no matter how minute in distance, is out—a fault.

God has given us a similar framework for our lives—his commandments. When you stay within the lines, you are in fair ground. Journey outside of them, and it’s a fault. Our Father has even provided our own “Hawk-Eye” system that alerts us when we are out of bounds—the Holy Spirit. We, too, can know when we are even one millimeter outside of the boundaries he has set for us, if we attend to the voice of this ever-present guide.

Joshua 22:5 states, “Be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”

Stay within the lines, and enjoy playing this game of life. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, so that when you fault, you can quickly confess it and resume play.^a

Be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.

Joshua 22:5