perimeter

photo courtesy of ©Depositphotos.com / aletia

In that early morning haze between sleeping and waking, I could almost hear the sound of their boots as they marched along the road.  They were guarding something, keeping it safe…  And then I was awake, with one word floating into focus against the backdrop of that imagery: perimeter.

A perimeter is simply the outer edges of an area.  To measure it, you add the sum total of the lengths of each side.  To walk it, you need to know where it is.  And to keep something safe within it – you secure it.

I’ve been thinking about secure perimeters all day.

Psalm 139 (one of the psalms from my emergency Scripture list) has some beautiful imagery about this: “You hem me in behind and before, and You lay your hand upon me.” (v.5)  Talk about secure perimeters!  Hemmed in on all sides and covered by the hand of God is pretty much the safest place we could possibly be.  And the psalmist goes on to talk about how God is always with us, wherever we go.

And then I got to thinking about these verses from Deuteronomy: “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates…” – Deuteronomy 11:18-20 (NIVUK)

Can you imagine what it would be like, if we truly did that?  If we talked about the Word of God all the time with our families?

I think we would be so much more careful with our words and with our actions than we sometimes are.

“Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:8-9 (NIV84)

Joshua’s success as a military leader was rooted in his spiritual life.  He knew the voice of the Lord because he’d spent decades in the Tent, and he understood that God was with him.

And the God who was with Joshua is Emmanuel – God with us.

These verses from Joshua are some of my favorites from the emergency Scripture list, because they remind me that the key to success isn’t my own merit – it’s God’s presence.  And when I take the time fix His words in my mind and in my heart, I can rest assured that my perimeters are secure, and that I’m in the safest possible place I can be – no matter what kind of battle I am facing today.